U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

BUREAU  OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY     BULLETIN  NO.  82. 

B.  T.  G  W.i.mu  n    ,  /,„,  0j  Bureau. 


M  LANDS  (IF  THE  Ml  ALASKA  COAST. 


( 


('.  V.   PIPER, 
Agrobiologist  ix  Charge  of  Forage  Plant  Introduction. 


GRASS     AND     FORAGE     PLANT    INVESTIGATIONS. 


[fiSl  BD    Ai  1,1  ST    22,   1905. 


r~ 


I/.  OF  f 


DEPOSITORY 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    P.RINTING    OFFICE 


BULLETINS  OF  THE  BUREAU   OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY. 

The  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  which  was  organized  July  1,  1901.  includes 
Vegetable  Pathological  and  Physiological  Investigations,  Botanical  Investiga- 
tions and  Experiments,  Grass  and  Forage  Plant  Investigations.  Pomologieal 
Investigations,  and  Experimental  Gardens  and  Grounds,  all  of  which  were  for- 
merly separate  Divisions,  and  also  Seed  and  Plant  Introduction  and  Distribu- 
tion, the  Arlington  Experimental  Farm.  Tea  Culture  Investigations,  and  Domestic 
Sugar  Investigations. 

Beginning  with  the  date  of  Organization  of  the  Bureau,  the  several  series  of 
bulletins  of  the  various  Divisions  were  discontinued,  and  all  are  now  published 
as  one  series  of  the  Bureau.  A  list  of  the  bulletins  issued  in  the  present  series 
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Attention  is  directed  to  the  fact  that  "  the  serial,  scientific,  and  technical 
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applications  for  such  publications  should,  therefore,  be  made  to  the  Superin- 
tendent of  Documents.  Government  Printing  Office,  Washington,  D.  C. 

No.    1.  The  Relation  of  Lime  and  Magnesia  to  Plant  Growth.     1901.     Price,  10 
cents. 
2.  Spermatogenesis  and  Fecundation  of  Zamia.     1901.     Price,  20  cents. 
::.   Macaroni  Wheats.     1901.      Price.  20  cents. 

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5.  Seeds  and  Plants  Imported.     Inventory  No.  9.     1902.     Price.  10  cents. 
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9.  The  North  American  Species  of  Spartina.     1902.     Price.  10  cents. 

10.  Records  of  Seed  Distribution  and  Cooperative  Experiments  with  Grasses 

and  Forage  Plants.     1902.     Price,  10  cents. 

11.  Johnson  Grass,     1902.     Price,  10  cents. 

12.  Stock  Ranges  of  Northwestern  California.     1902.     Price,  15  cents. 
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cents. 

15.  Forajre  Conditions  on  the  Northern   Border  of  the  Great  Basin.     1902. 

Price,  15  cents. 
10.  A  Preliminary  Study  of  the  Germination  of  the  Spores  of  Agarieus  Cam- 
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17.  Some  Diseases  of  the  Cowpoa.      1902.      Price.  10  cents. 

18.  Observations  on  the  Mosaic  Disease  of  Tobacco.      1902.     Price,  15  cents. 

19.  Kentucky  Biuegrass  Seed.     1902:     Price,  10  cents. 

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21.  List  of  American  Varieties  of  Vegetables.     1903.     Price,  35  cents. 

22.  Injurious  Effects  of  Premature  Pollination.     1902.     Price,  10  cents. 
2."?.  Berseem.     1902.     Price.  15  cents. 

24.  Unfermented  Grape  Must.     1902.     Price,  10  cents. 

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IV.  Congressional  Seed  and  Plant  Distribution  Circulars.  1903.  Price, 
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30.  Budding  the  Pecan.     1902.     Price.  10  cents. 

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cents. 

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.".."..   North  American  Species  of  Loptochloa.     1903.     Price.  15  cents. 

[Continued  on  page  .'!  of  cover.] 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/grasoutOOunit 


3u  .  82,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 


Plate  I. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

BUREAU  OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY -BULLETIN  NO.  82. 

B.  T.  GALLOWAY,  (  hiej  oj  Bureau. 


i  ASS 


n;  m 


II  ALASKA  COAST. 


C.  V.   PIPER, 

A.GROSTOLOGIST    IN    CHARGE    OF    FORAGE    l'l.Wl     INTRODUCTION. 


GRASS     AND     FORAGE     PLANT     INVESTIGATIONS. 


[ssued    Utgusi    22,  L905. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE, 

1  9  0  5. 


BUREAU  OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY. 

P>.  T.  CALLOWAY. 
Pathologist  and  Physiologist,  and  Chief  of  Bureau. 

VEGETABLE  PATHOLOGICAL  AND  PHYSIOLOGICAL  INVESTIGATIONS. 

Albert  F.  Woods,  Pathologist  and  Physiologist  in  Charge. 

Voting  Chief  of  Bureau  in    Absence  of  Chief. 

BOTANICAL   INVESTIGATIONS   AND   EXPERIMENTS. 

Frederick  V.  Coville.  Botanist  in  Charge. 

i 

GRASS  AND  FORAGE  PLANT  INVESTIGATIONS. 
W.  J.  Spillman,  Agriculturist  in  Charge. 

POMOLOGICAL  INVESTIGATIONS. 
(!.  B.  Brackett,  Pomologist  in  Charge. 

SEED  AND  PLANT  INTRODUCTION  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 

A.  J.  Pieters.  Botanist  in  Charge. 

ARLINGTON  EXPERIMENTAL  FARM. 
L.  C.  Corbett.  Horticulturist  in  Charge. 

EXPERIMENTAL  GARDENS   AND   GROUNDS. 

E.  M.  Byrnes.  Superintendent. 


J.  E.  Rockwell,  Editor. 

James  E.  Jones,  Chief  Clerk. 


GRASS  AND  FORAGE  PLANT  INVESTIGATIONS. 

SCIENTIFIC    STAFF. 

W.  J.  Spillman.  Agriculturist  in  Charge. 

A.  S.  Hitchcock.  Systematic  Agrostologist  in  Charge  <<\  Herbarium. 

C.  Y.  Ptpek,  Agrostologist  in  Charge  of  Forage  Plant  Introduction. 

David   Griffiths,    Assistant    Agrostologist    in    Charge    of    Range    unit    Cactus 

Investigations. 
< '.  K.  Ball,  Assistant  Agrostologist  in  Charge  of  Work  on    Arlington  Farm. 
S.  M.  Tracy,  Special  Agent  in  Charge  of  Gulf  Coast  Investigations. 

D.  A.  Beodie,  Assistant  Agrostologist  in  Charge  of  Cooperative  Work. 
Harmon  Benton,   Assistant    Agriculturist. 

P.  L.  Bicker,   Assistant  in  Herbarium. 

J.  M.  Westgate,  Assistant  in  Charge  of  Alfalfa  and  Clover  Investigations. 

Byeon  Hunter,  Assistant  in  Charge  of  Pacific  Coast  Investigations. 

It.  A.  Oakley,  Assistant  in  Domestication  of  wild  Grasses. 

C.  W.  Warburton,  Assistant  in  Fodder  Plant  and  Millet  Investigations, 

M.  A.  Crosby,  Assistant  in  Southern  Forage  Plant  Investigations 

.1.  s.  Cotton,  Assistant  in  Range  Investigations. 

Harold  'l'.  Nielsen.  Edward  J.  Troy,   Lyman   E.  Carrier,  Leroy  ('.  Wilson, 

Lawrence  G.  Dodge,    Assistants  in  Agronomy. 
Agnes  Chase,  Agrostological  Artist 
2 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 


I  '.   S.    I  >EP  \i:i Ml  n  i    01     A.GRIC1  i.i  i  RE, 

IU  re  \i    "i    Plant  Indt  si  ri  . 

( )i  i  ii  i:  of  the  Chief, 
Washington,  />.  <'..  May  /''.  1905. 
Sir:   I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  he  re  with  a  paper  entitled  "Grass 
Lands  of  the  South  Alaska  Coast,'1  and  to  recommend  that  it  be  pub- 
lished as  Bulletin  No.  82  of  the  series  of  this  Bureau. 

This  paper  was  prepared  l>\  Mr.  ('.  V.  Piper,  Agrostologist  in 
Charge  of  Introduction  of  Grasses  and  Forage  Plants,  Grass  and 
Forage  Plant  Investigations,  and  has  been  submitted  by  the  A.grostol- 
ogist  with  a  view  to  publicat  ion. 

The  four  plates  accompanying  the  paper  arc  necessary  to  a  proper 
understanding  of  the  text. 

Respect  l'ull\ .  B.  T.  ( i  w.i.ow  \ v. 

i ' 'h'n  I  of  Bun  au. 
I  [on.  James  Wilsi  »n, 

S(  i  n  tai  y  of  .  Igrieultun  . 


PREF  \ ('!•:. 


Since  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Alaska  in  1897  continuous  calls  for 
information  concerning  the  agricultural  possibilities  of  the  Alaska 
Peninsula  have  come  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture.  Much  valu- 
able information  <>n  this  topic  has  been  secured  by  the  Office  of  Ex- 
perimenl  Stations  largely  through  the  Alaska  experiment  stations 
at  Sitka,  Kcnai.  and  Copper  Center  in  charge  of  Prof.  ('.  ( '.  George- 
son,  but  as  the  work  of  these  experiment  stations  was  necessarily 
largely  local  in  character,  and  as  ii  was  highly  desirable  to  study  con- 
ditions in  sections  remote  from  the  stations,  the  Office  of  Experiment 
Stations  requested  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  to  send  some  one  to 
explore  as  large  an  area  of  the  Alaskan  country  as  might  be  feasible. 
Accordingly  Prof.  ('.  V.  Piper,  of  the  Office  <>l'  Grass  and  Forage 
Plant  Investigations,  was  detailed  to  make  this  exploration  under 
the  joint  auspices  of  the  < ) tl i< ■< ■  of  Experiment  Stations  and  the 
Bureau  of  Plant  [ndustry.  The  summer  of  1904  was  spent  in  this 
work.  The  area  explored  is  shown  in  black  on  the  map  constituting 
Plate  I.  Many  interesting  fact-  relating  to  agricultural  possibilities 
in  the  region  covered  were  recorded,  and  Professor  Piper  discus 
.  them  in  the  following  pages  in  detail. 

For  further  information  concerning  the  results  of  this  exploration 
the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Office  of  Experi- 
ment Stat  ion-  for  the  year  L904. 

\V.  .1.  Siui.i.M an,  Agrostologist. 

Office  or  Grass   \m>   Forage  Plant   [xvestigations, 

Washington,  />.  C,  April  1 ',.  WOo. 


CONTENTS. 


page. 

Introduction                                               9 

The  location  of  the  grass  lands  ]  i 

Kadiak  Island                                               11 

Alaska  Peninsula  and  adjacenl  islands                               .  T2 

Uhalaska  and  the  neighboring  islands  12 

Kenai  Peninsula  13 

The  Yakutat  plain-  I  t 

[mportanl  factors  relating  to  the  agricultural  value  of  the  grass  lands  \r, 

The  abundance  and  permanent f  native  fodder  plants  h; 

Bluetop  16 

Bi  ach  rye  16 

Bhlr- lass  17 

Silver  tup  17 

Siberian  f<  scue  1? 

Sedges  1? 

Alaska  lupine  17 

Fireweed 18 

Food  value  of  native  Alaskan  grasses  iv 

Cultivable  forage  crops  19 

Silage  alone  as  a  ration  for  milch  cows  20 

Alaskan  experience  in  stock  raising '.'I 

Hogs  21 

Gloats                                        21 

Sheep  husbandry                 . .                                                      22 

Cattle  23 

Population  and  available  markets            25 

Freights  and  transportation 26 

Desirability  of  south  Alaska  as  a  home 26 

Climate  26 

Garden  products         27 

Fuel  28 

( !hi  ice  i  if  a  location  28 

Land  laws  appl3  ing  to  Alaska  29 

Homesteads  30 

Application  for  a  homestead  for  surveyed  land  ::i 

Inceptive  rights  of  homestead  settlers  31 

Homestead  settlers  on  unsurveyed  lands                                        ....  32 

Cultivation  in  grazing  districts  32 

Homestead  claims  nol  liable  for  debl  and  nol  salable  32 

Soldiers  and  sailors'  homestead  rights  32 

Soldiers'  additional  homestead  entry :::{ 

Description  of  plates  ... 

7 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page 

PLATE  I.  Map  of  Alaska Frontispiece. 

II.  Fig.  1. — A  view  of  the  fiat  lands  lying  ai  tin-  head  of  Wmuan's 
Bay.  Kadiak  Island,  Alaska.     Fig.  2. — Mowing  beach  rye  on 


Kadiak  Island,  Alaska 

III.  Blnetop    (Calamagrostis   langsdorfii),  (>  feet  high,   on  Kadiak 

Island,  Alaska,  July,  1904 

I  V.  Fig.  1.— A  view  of  Kadiak,  Alaska,  November  7.  1903.     Fig.  2.— 

A  different  view  of  Kadiak,  March  26,  1904 

8 


38 


:;s 


B.  P,   I.      104.  G.  F.   IV   1-      I  13 

GRASS  LANDS  OF  THE  SOI  Til  ALASKA  COAST. 


INTRODUCTION. 

A  glance  al  the  accompanying  map  of  Alaska  (PL  I)  will  show 
thai  ilif  coast  line  beginning  at  Dixon  Entrance,  in  longitude  L32  . 
latitude  •">  I  30',  and  extending  to  Unalaska,  in  longitude  L66  and 
latitude  •">  I  .  is  nearly  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle,  or,  rather,  of  a  half 
ellipse,  the  east  and  wesl  diameter  of  which  would  be  about  2,000 
miles  and  the  north  and  south  diameter  about  half  this  distance. 
Near  the  northernmost  pari  of  this  coast  line  arc  two  large  inlets,  the 
eastern  one  Prince  William  Sound,  the  western  one  Cook  Inlet.  It 
will  be  further  noticed  thai  islands  are  very  numerous  on  the  coast 
and  thai  the  coasl  line  is  much  indented  by  narrow  inlets  or  fiords,  a 
fad  heiicr  -how  li  on  larger  maps.  The  principal  places  mentioned  in 
tin-  paper  arc  likewise  indicated  on  the  map.  Officially,  the  region 
from  Mount  Saint  Elias  eastward  i-  known  as  southeastern  Ala-ka. 
that  wesl  of  this  peak  as  southwestern  Ala-ka.  From  an  agricultural 
standpoint,  however,  there  is  a  much  better  and  very  marked  divid- 
ing line.  From  Cook  Inlet  eastward  practically  all  of  the  lands  lying 
near  the  coasl  are  densely  timbered  up  to  an  altitude  of  2,000  to  3,000 
feet.  From  Cook  Inlet  westward,  excepting  Afognak  Island  and  a 
-mall  portion  of  [vadiak  Island,  the  lands  are  devoid  of  timber,  and 
are  for  the  mo-t  part  grass  covered. 

The  total  area  of  the  coasl  grass  land-  i-  ahont  10. 0(H)  square  miles, 
nearly  all  of  which  lie-  between  Cook  Inlet  and  I'nala-ka.  a  distance 
of  about  700  mile-.  At  lea-t  our  hall'  of  this  land  would  seem  capa- 
ble, in  time  at  least,  of  profitable  utilization.  From  various  cause-  it 
lias  remained  until  now  practically  unused. 

South  Ala-ka  is  a  mountainous  country,  a  greal  range  of  -now- 
capped  peak-  on  the  main  la  ml  paralleling  the  cut  ire  coast.  Eastward 
from  Cook  Inlet  great  numbers  of  glaciers  arise  in  the  higher  moun 
tain-,  and  many  of  these  rivers  of  ice  extend  downward  to  the  sea. 
Westward  from  Cook  Inlet  no  glaciei's  reach  the  sea,  although  many 
of  the  mountain  peak-  are  from  5,000  to  8,000  feet  high.  This  strik 
ing  difference  apparently  depend-  on  a  much  -mailer  annual  rainfall 
and  -now  fall. 

'■> 
-•'an::.     No.  s.'    05  u 2 


10  GRASS    LAN  I  is    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA   COAST. 

In  general  the  lands  are  hilly,  sometimes  rising-  abruptly  from  the 
seashore,  but  seldom  too  steej)  to  afford  a  luxuriant  grass  covering. 
More  often,  however,  the  hills  near  the  coast  are  low  and  rounded, 
with  intervening  valleys.  In  places  there  are  wide  areas  contiguous 
to  the  coast  of  from  100  to  1,000  feet  elevation  and  comparatively 
level.  Most  of  the  smaller  islands,  too,  have  comparatively  gentle 
slopes,  and  either  are  under  1,000  feet  elevation  or  have  but  few  hills 
reaching  above  that  height.  The  coast  line  everywhere  is  indented 
by  numerous  bays  or  inlets,  into  many  of  which  rivers  flow.  At  the 
heads  of  these  bays  there  are,  as  a  rule,  considerable  areas  of  flat  or 
nearly  flat  lands.  Such  locations  naturally  afford  the  most  advanta- 
geous sites  for  agricultural  settlements,  especially  as  these  flat  lands 
are  exceedingly  well  grassed,  and  with  little  preliminary  labor  can  be 
prepared  for  mowing. 

Where  the  land  is  level  it  is  very  likely  to  be  wet  and  covered  with 
a  growth  of  peat  moss.  Under  such  circumstances  it  supports  but  a 
scanty  vegetation.  Even  on  the  hillsides  this  peal  moss  may  become 
established,  and  where  it  does  so  the  grasses  quickly  become  less  lux- 
uriant. The  decay  of  this  moss  and  of  other  vegetation  results  in  the 
formation  of  a  humous  soil,  very  retentive  of  moisture.  So  deep 
does  this  humus  become  that  the  real  soil  is  often  entirely  concealed. 
Where  it  is  possible  to  destroy  this  moss  by  burning,  the  result  is 
always  a  heavy  crop  of  grass  or  other  plants.  Most  of  the  land  that 
lies  at  less  than  1.000  feet  elevation  is  covered  by  a  most  luxuriant 
growth  of  native  grasses.  Over  large  areas  these  grasses  are  fre- 
quently 6  feet  high,  thus  furnishing  a  large  quantity  of  fodder.  On 
the  remaining  areas,  lying  at  higher  elevations  or  on  exposed  slopes. 
the  grasses  are  too  short  to  cut  for  hay.  but  furnish  splendid  grazing. 

That  grass  in  Alaska  is  exceedingly  abundant  and  fairly  nutritious 
and  that  cattle  will  thrive  upon  it  are  facts  beyond  question.  But 
these  facts  in  themselves  are  not  sufficient  to  enable  a  prospective 
settler  thinking  of  engaging  in  stock  raising  to  determine  whether 
or  not  such  a  venture  would  be  likely  to  prove  profitable.  The  mere 
abundance  of  grass  of  fair  quality  is  not  sufficient  to  insure  success 
in  stock  raising  in  an  isolated  region  like  that  under  consideration. 

The  following  statements  regarding  the  Alaska  grass  lands  and 
the  factors  that  have  a  bearing  on  their  profitable  utilization  are 
based  on  as  complete  a  survey  as  one  season's  work  would  permit, 
together  with  the  facts  previously  recorded  by  reliable  authorities. 
A  detailed  report  of  the  conditions  actually  observed  will  appear  in 
the  Annual  Report  of  the  Office  of  Experiment  Stations  for  L904. 
The  present  bulletin  designs  rather  to  cite  these  facts  in  their  bearing 
upon    the   south    Alaska    glass    lands   as   a    desirable    held   for  stock 


LOCATION    "I      I  IN.    GRASS    LANDS.  1  1 

THE  LOCATION  OF  THE  GRASS  LANDS. 

The  accompanying  map  (PI.  I)  indicates  the  general  location  of 
the  southern  Alaska  areas  which  arc  covered  with  grasses.  These 
areas  differ  considerably  in  detail  and  arc  here  discussed  separately. 

KADIAK     ISLAND. 

Kadiak  fsland,  which  lies  oil'  the  mouth  of  Conk  inlet,  is  about  LOO 
mile-  long  by  50  miles  \\  ide.  li  is  mountainous  in  character,  the  hills 
rising  more  or  less  genth  from  near  the  seashore  to  heights  of  1,000 
to  3,000  fed.  Ai  the  end  of  .Inly.  1904,  there  was  still  considerable 
snow  at  2,000  Peel  i  PI.  IV  i.  bul  this  is  said  to  be  quite  unusual.  This 
island,  like  most  of  the  Alaska  coast,  i-  much  cul  into  by  long,  narrow 
bays,  into  most  of  which  How  streams.  The  Hat  lands  lying  at  the 
deltas  of  these  streams  arc.  a-  a  rule,  very  heavily  covered  with 
grasses  (PI.  II).  The  slopes  also,  up  to  an  altitude  of  1,500  feci, 
arc  well  grassed,  except  where  there  are  thicket-  of  alder  or  willow  : 
hut  these  slopes  are  usually  too  steep  to  utilize  otherwise  than  by 
grazing.  The  total  area  of  these  hillside  lands  is  much  greater  than 
that  of  the  approximately  level  stretches,  in  the  proportion  of  at  least 
20  to  1 . 

( )n  the  hillsides  the  principal  grass  is  bluetop  {CalamagroHtis 
langsdorfii) ,  which  often  cover-  large  areas  in  a  pure  growth.  This 
wa-  exceedingly  line  on  hillsides  burned  over  in  March,  by  which 
mean-  the  old  straw  and  mos^  were  destroyed,  thus  permitting  bet- 
ter drainage  and  making  the  soil  warmer.  In  such  places  this  grass 
i-  often  6  feet  high.  On  the  contrary,  if  the  hills  are  burned  over 
in  June  the  fire  is  likely  to  kill  the  grass  roots  as  well  as  the  moss, 
with  the  resull  thai  fireweed  usually  take-  possession  of  the  ground. 

Other  grasses  than  bluetop  on  the  hillsides  are  relatively  unimpor 
taut,  though  sometimes  considerable  areas  of  Siberian   fescue  occur. 
and  on  the  higher  slopes  arc  a  number  of  low  grasses  of  forage  value. 

On  the  llai  land-  before  mentioned  the  tall  beach  sedge  {Carex 
cry  ptoca  r  pa)  forms  a  broad  fringe  along  the  -bores  of  the  bays  and 
sloughs,  especially  on  land-  which  are  occasionally  covered  by  tide 
water.  Back  of  tin-  sedge,  beach  rye  [Elyman  moll  in)  form-  a  more 
or  less  broad  /.one.  often  mixed  with  patches  of  a  coarse  bluegrass 
(Poa  glvmaris).  In  the  -till  drier  portions  bluetop  occupies  the 
ground  almosl  exclusively.  The  three  plant-  mentioned  furnish  the 
greal  bulk  of  forage  on  Kadiak  I-land.  and  indeed  on  most  part-  of 
the  Alaskan  coast,  bul  the  bluetop  is  more  abundant  than  all  of  the 
other  grasses  combined. 

Bluetop  ha-  -lender  stems  and  thin  leave-,  thus  curing  verj  readily 
and  making  a  sweet  and  palatable  hay.      Beach  rye.  on  the  contrary. 


12  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

has  thick  stems  and  thick  leaves,  in  consequence  of  which  it  cures 
slowly.  Beach  sedge  has  a  three -sided,  solid,  pithy  stem,  and  is 
therefore  very  difficult  to  dry.  All  three  of  these  plants  grow  so 
luxuriantly  that  they  often  yield  3  tons  of  hay  or  more  per  acre. 

Of  forage  plants  other  than  grasses  the  lupine  and  fireweed,  here- 
after described,  are  both  abundant.  In  a  green  state  they  are  readily 
eaten  by  sheep,  but  cattle  prefer  the  grasses. 

In  portions  of  the  island  which  have  been  more  or  less  closely 
grazed  for  some  years  it  was  noticeable  that  the  taller  wild  graces 
had  largely  disappeared,  being  replaced  principally  by  bluegrass 
(Poa  pratensis)  and  wild  barley  (Hordeum  boreale).  Cattle  seem 
to  be  much  more  fond  of  the  former  than  of  the  latter  grass,  although 
in  parts  of  northern  Europe  the  wild  barley  is  considered  a  most 
excellent  grass. 

All  of  Kadiak  Island,  except  a  small  portion  in  the  extreme  north- 
east, is  practically  timberless,  as  are  most  of  the  adjacent  islands. 
In  the  valleys,  however,  there  is  usually  a  small  number  of  cotton- 
woods  and  willows,  and  on  wet  slopes  scrub  willows  and  alders  form 
dense  thickets.  Afognak  Island,  however,  which  lies  northeast  of 
Kadiak,  is  quite  densely  covered  with  spruce. 

ALASKA    PENINSULA    AND    ADJACENT    ISLANDS. 

The  whole  region  to  the  west  of  Kadiak  Island  might  briefly  be 
described  as  similar  to  that  island,  but  entirely  deviod  of  timber,  the 
shrubs  being  more  scrubby  and  the  grasses  less  luxuriant.  The 
peninsula  itself  is  very  mountainous,  and  for  considerable  stretches 
along  the  coast  the  hills  rise  abruptly  from  the  water's  edge.  In  the 
bays  and  inlets,  however,  there  are  frequently  considerable  areas  of 
comparatively  level  lands  well  grassed,  though  seldom  as  luxuriantly 
covered  as  those  before  mentioned.  The  islands  lying  off  the  coast 
are  comparatively  low,  and  some  of  them  are  said  to  be  exceedingly 
well  adapted  to  stock  raising.  Such  areas  as  were  examined  indicate 
that  in  general  there  is  a  greater  variety  of  forage  grasses  than  to 
the  eastward,  but  most  of  them  are  smaller  in  size. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  a  mail  steamer  plying  once  a  month 
between  Valdez  and  I  nalaska.  This  boat  carries  the  mail,  and  stops 
at  such  points  as  business  demands.  The  population  of  this  entire 
region  is  exceedingly  sparse,  and  many  of  the  outlying  islands  would 
probably  have  to  be  reached  by  means  of  sailing  craft. 

I   \  ALASKA    AND    THE    NEIGHBORING    ISLANDS. 

Unalaska  and  (he  neighboring  islands  differ  on  the  whole  compara- 
tively little  from  Kadiak  Island,  though  the  vegetation  as  a  rule  is 


LOCATION    OF    CHE    GRASS    LANDS.  13 

decidedly  less  luxuriant.  The  grasses  are  much  the  same  in  kind, 
although  differing  in  their  relative  abundance.  Some  difficulty 
would  be  experienced  on  these  islands  in  finding  sufficient  tall  grass 
in  furnish  winter  fodder  in  case  large  quantities  were  necessary, 
though  in  some  of  the  more  sheltered  valleys  small  areas  were  ob- 
served where  the  grasses  were  very  tall.  There  is  quite  a  herd  of 
cattle  at  Unalaska  which,  according  i<>  local  reports,  receive  bul  vers 
slight  attention  during  the  winter,  only  a  small  quantity  of  feed 
being  cut  for  them.  The  principal  advantage  of  Unalaska  and  the 
neighboring  islands  would  seem  to  lie  in  the  fact  that  they  are  on 
the  lint'  of  travel  of  the  vessels  going  to  the  Yukon  and  to  Nome.  1 1" 
sufficient  numbers  of  cattle  were  raised  on  these  islands,  doubtless 
little  difficulty  would  be  experienced  in  finding  a  market  for  them  at 
the  above  mentioned  point-.  Indeed,  a  Seattle  company,  which  pur- 
poses, among  other  things,  to  engage  in  cattle  raising  primarily  for 
these  northern  market-,  has  already  begun  operation-  on  Aktin 
Island. 

M  \  \l     PENINS1  LA. 

Kenai  is  the  name  given  to  the  large  peninsula  lying  between  Cook 
Inlet  and  the  Gulf  of  Alaska.  That  portion  of  it  on  the  east  side  of 
Cook  Inlet  and  north  of  Kachemak  Bay,  comprising  an  area  100 
miles  long  by  20  to  30  miles  wide,  is  an  extensive  plateau.  \\<  south 
ern  portion,  on  Kachemak  Bay,  lies  500  to  1,000  feet  or  more  above 
the  sea  level.  It  slopes  mainly  to  the  westward,  so  that  that  part 
from  Anchor  Point  northward  is  but  100  to  200  feet  above  the  sea 
level.  Most  of  this  land  is  timbered  with  spruce,  hut  there  are  con- 
siderable area-  of  grass  near  Anchor  Point,  near  Homer,  and  on  the 
north  side  of  Kachemak   Bay. 

At  Homer  there  is  an  extensive  sand  spit,  about  I  miles  in  length 
and  from  one- fourth  t<>  1  mile  aero--,  which  supports  a  good  growth 
of  several  grasses  and  sedges.  Beach  rye  is  the  most  important  and 
most  abundant,  bul  red  fescue,  bluegrass,  and  seashore  grass  furnish 
considerable  grazing.  At  the  base  of  the  spit  the  land  rises  grad- 
ually to  the  high  plateau  above,  the  scattered  timber  giving  the  ap- 
pearance of  mountain  park-.  The  open  portions  of  this  land  support 
a  luxuriant  growth  of  bluetop,  often  6  feet  tall.  At  a  rough  estimate 
the  open  grass  laud-  in  this  vicinity  comprise  about  2,000  acre-. 

The  site  of  a  proposed  Finnish  colony  is  on  the  north  side  of  Kache- 
mak Bay,  not  far  from  it-  head.  From  the  colony  site  to  the  head  of 
the  \k\\  arc  extensive  tide  Mat-,  which  are  mainly  covered  with 
sedges  about  2  feet  high.  The  marshy  nature  id'  these  land-,  together 
with  the  coarse  nature  of  the  forage,  make-  them  id'  hut  limited  value. 
Undoubtedly  they  can  he  much  improved  by  diking. 


14  GRASS   LANDS   OF   THE    SOUTH    ALASKA   COAST. 

The  grass  lands  of  the  colony  site  proper  consist  of  about  500  acres 
of  excellent  land,  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  bluetop. 
These  lands  lie  close  to  the  seashore  and  less  than  100  feet  above  it. 
Back  of  these  lands  are  hills  500  to  1,500  feet  high,  the  plateau  on  the 
top  of  which  consists  in  part  of  extensive  grass  areas.  .Much  of  this 
grass  is  bluetop,  often  6  feet  high.  Other  areas  are  pure  growths 
of  Siberian  fescue.  Interspersed  with  these  are  several  other 
good  grasses,  but  none  of  them  in  great  quantity.  These  plateau 
grass  lands  are  apparently  very  extensive.  To  render  them  accessible, 
will,  however,  require  the  building  of  roads  or  trails  up  to  the  easiest 
slopes.  At  Anchor  Point  there  is  but  little  grass  land  near  the  sea- 
shore, but  on  the  plateau  behind  are  considerable  areas  much  like 
those  just  described.  The  plateau  at  this  point  is.  however,  much 
lower. 

An  important  circumstance  in  relation  to  all  of  the  grass  lands  of 
this  region  lies  in  the  fact  that  they  are  underlaid  with  coal,  which  is 
exposed  for  miles  in  the  bluff's  along  the  coast.  In  view  of  this  fact 
it  is  doubtful  if  title  to  the  land  can  be  gained  by  homesteading  it. 

At  Kenai  there  are  no  naturally  grassed  lands,  except  the  sand 
dunes  along  the  beach  and  the  marshes  lying  inside  of  them.  The 
dunes  are  covered  principally  with  beach  rye  and  bighead  sedge 
(Carer  macrocephala) .  In  the  brackish  marshes  red  fescue  and  sea- 
shore grass  are  plentiful.  Here  also  is  found  poison  parsnip  (  Oicuta 
douglasii)  in  small  marshes,  and  there  is  a  record  of  some  native  cows 
having  been  killed  by  it  several  years  ago. 

TIIK    VAKUTAT    PLAINS. 

The  only  extensive  areas  of  grass  lands  known  in  southeastern 
Alaska  are  those  lying  in  the  river  valleys  near  the  coast  south  of 
Yakutat.  Inasmuch  as  these  lands  have  been  several  times  referred 
to  in  reports,  and  as  they  are  now  in  part  accessible  owing  to  the 
building  of  the  Yakutat  and  Southern  Railway,  a  careful  examina- 
tion was  made  of  them.  The  above-mentioned  railway  has  been  built. 
primarily  to  reach  the  several  rich  salmon  streams  flowing  into  the 
ocean  south  of  Yakutat,  it  being  impracticable  to  fish  them  by  ap- 
proach from  the  ocean.  This  railway  is  projected  to  be  built  to  the 
Alsek  River,  a  distance  of  45  miles.  At  present  it  is  built  only  to 
the  Setuck  River,  L0  miles  from  Yakutat. 

Practically  the  whole  of  this  region  is  an  old  glacial  moraine,  com- 
posed of  line  gravel,  which  slopes  very  gently  to  the  seashore.  The 
land  close  to  the  seashore  is  somewhat  higher  than  that  lying  behind, 
and  is  heavily  timbered.  Owing  to  this  strip  of  higher  land  most 
of  the  streams  How  parallel  to  the  coasl  for  some  distance  near  their 
debouchments.     It  is  alone'  the  valleys  of  these  streams  that  the  grass 


LOCATION    OF    THE    GRASS    LANDS.  15 

lands  lie,  bul  owing  to  the  flatness  of  the  land  and  the  slighl  eleva 
lion  above  the  sea   level   they  are  very   ill-drained,  notwithstanding 
the  gra\  ellj   nai  ure  of  1  he  soil. 

Traveling  along  these  rivers  in  a  canoe  one  receives  the  impression 
thai  the  grass  is  tall  and  rank  on  these  flat  land-.  This,  in  fact,  is 
the  case  on  a  vvy  narrow  strip  just  alone-  the  river  dank-,  where  there 
is  a  line  growth  of  bluetop  (l  alamagrostis  laiigsdorfri)  and  sedge 
(Carex  sitchensis  Presc).  This  strip  of  tall  era--  is,  however, 
nearly  always  confined  to  the  immediate  dank-  of  the  rivers.  Tin' 
great  ma—  of  the  land  i-  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  bog  moss,  which 
supports  bul  a  -cant  vegetation  of  grass  and  sedges  less  than  a  loot 
high. 

It  is  a  conservative  statement  to  say  that  fully  80  per  cent  of  these 
Yaknlat  grass  lands  are  thus  scantily  grassed.  Apart  from  this 
scant  amount  of  grass,  which  practically  precludes  the  cutting  of 
winter  forage,  another  serious  difficulty  presents  it-elf  in  the  fact 
thai  poison  parsnip  {Cicuta  douglasii)  occurs  quite  plentifully  over 
all  the  land  that  i-  the  least  boggy,  which,  as  before  -tated.  i-  so  per 
cenl  of  the  area.  Thus,  even  if  these  meadows  were  used  onlj  for 
grazing,  greal  care  would  need  to  he  exercised  in  the  spring,  when 
era—  i-  -canty  and  the  >weet  hut  very  poisonous  tubers  of  this  plant: 
are  frequently  forced  to  the  surface  by  the  frost. 

While  the  above  statements  arc  true  concerning  the  Yakutat 
meadows  as  a  whole,  there  are  -mall  areas  which  are  exceptional. 
For  example,  alone-  the  lower  Ankow  River  occurs  a  narrow  strip 
of  several  hundred  acres  well  grassed  with  silver-top  (Deschampsia 
ccespitosa)  and  beach  rye  (Elymus  mollis)  and  iwv  from  Cicuta. 
Care  would  need  to  be  exercised  in  utilizing  even  this,  as  the  sur- 
rounding boggy  lands  bear  an  abundance  of  poison  parsnip. 

\eain.  the  strip  of  land  lying  jusl  within  the  ocean  dunes  is  often 
well  grassed  with  beach  rye  and  red  fescue  {Fextiica  rubra). 

A  particularly  good  area  of  arable  laud  lies  alone-  the  railway 
where  it  reaches  the  Setuck  River,  This  consists  of  3  or  I  square 
miles  of  gravelly,  well-drained,  level  land,  at  present  looking  much 
like  a  worn  oul  meadow.  It  i-  apparently  very  well  adapted  to  such 
cultivated  grasses  as  smooth  brome-grass  and  tall  meadow  oat-grass. 
It  will  undoubtedly  grow  all  sorts  of  hardy  vegetables.  The  present 
era--  covering  i-  rather  -canty,  but  it  i-  probable  that  this  can  be 
greatly  increased  l>\  cultivation.  This  particular  piece  of  land  is 
well  worthy  of  the  attention  of  homesteaders. 

It  is  within  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  the  larger  pan  of  the 
Yakutat  plain  can  be  drained  ami  made  into  line  meadow  lands.  In 
it-  present  state,  however,  this  land  i-  not  adapted  to  stock  raising, 
with  the  exception  of  such  small  areas  as  above  noted. 


16  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

IMPORTANT  FACTORS  RELATING  TO  THE  AGRICULTURAL 
VALUE  OF  THE  GRASS  LANDS. 

In  determining  whether  or  not  the  grass  lands  previously  described 
offer  a  desirable  held  for  settlement,  a  number  of  factors  that  bear 
more  or  less  directly  upon  the  problem  need  consideration.  These 
factors  may  be  discussed  in  the  following  sequence: 

(1  )    The  abundance  and  permanence  of  the  feeds  available. 

(2)  The  possibility  of  raising  forage  on  cultivated  lands. 

(3)  The  known  facts  in  regard  to  live-stock  raising. 
(1)   The  available  markets. 

(5)  Transportation  facilities  and  freight  rates. 

(6)  The  desirability  of  south  Alaska  as  a  home. 

(7)  The  choice  of  a  location 

THE    ABUNDANCE    AND    PERMANENCE    OF    NATIVE    FODDER    PLANTS. 

Live-stock  husbandry  in  Alaska  will  have  to  depend  primarily 
upon  the  native  plants,  supplemented  in  time,  perhaps,  by  such 
additional  ones  as  experiments  shall  indicate  may  compete  with  the 
native  plants,  or  which  upon  cultivated  land  will  yield  heavily 
enough  to  be  profitable.  The  most  important  and  abundant  of  the 
native  forage  plants  are  as  follows: 

Bluetop. — Bluetop  (Calamagrostis  langsdorfli)  is  by  far  the  most 
plentiful  tall  grass  in  Alaska,  growing  along  the  whole  coast.  On 
Kadiak  Island  and  the  Kenai  Peninsula  it  is  especially  abundant, 
often  being  6  feet  high  and  very  dense  (PL  III).  It  grows  witli 
special  luxuriance  on  hillsides  that  have  been  burned  over  early  in 
the  spring.  This  burning  destroys  the  moss,  and  thus  makes  the  soil 
I  letter  drained  and  warmer.  Bluetop  also  flourishes  on  the  level 
boggy  lands,  but  prefers  a  well-drained  soil.  Owing  to  its  thin 
stems  and  leaves  it  cures  very  readily,  and  is  therefore  the  usual  hay 
grass  of  Alaska.  It  is  often  called  redtop,  but  this  name  should  he 
restricted  to  the  true  redtop,  a  very  different  grass. 

There  are  no  accurate  data  bearing  on  the  point  as  to  how  well 
this  grass  will  withstand  continued  cutting,  but  the  general  belief  is 
that  it  rapidly  becomes  thinner  in  stand.  It  is  noticeable  about 
villages  where  cows  are  kept  that  the  bluetop  is  scarce,  being  replaced 
by  other  grasses,  especially  bluegrass  and  wild  barley.  The  area  of 
bluetop  is  so  great,  however,  that  in  many  places  it  would  be  quite 
practicable  to  manage  so  as  not  to  cut  the  same  plats  two  years  in 
succession,  which  practice  would  probably  maintain  the  density  of 
the  stand. 

Beach  rye. — Along  all  the  quiet  shores  and  inlets  of  Alaska. 
wherever  there  is  low  land  near  the  beach,  there  is  a  strip  of  beach 
rye    (Elymus  mollis)   occurring  just   above  high-tide  level.     Some- 


NATI\  I.    I  '  IDDER    PLANTS.  1  « 

times  thi-  strip  is  only  a   few    feel  wide,  but  on  the  low  level  lands 

near  the  head-  of  fiords  there  are  often  large  area-  of  it  3  to  5  feel 
high  (PI.  II.  fig.  •_').  One  patch  of  it  examined  had  been  cut  the 
year  previous,  and  on  this  the  stand  was  scarcely  half  as  dense  as  on 
neighboring  piece-  which  had  not  been  cut.  This  observation  ac- 
cords with  the  experience  of  others. 

Where  sand  dunes  occur  on  the  coast,  as  at  Kenai  and  near  Yakutat, 
beach  rye  is  an  important  -and  binder.  In  such  location-  it  i-  often 
very  different  in  appearance  from  that  found  in  other  situations, 
the  head-  being  short  and  thick.  This  is  the  result  of  infestation  by 
a  parasitic  v\  orm. 

Bluegrass.-  The  true  Kentucky  bluegrass  i  /'<><'  pratensis)  is  com- 
mon all  along  the  AJaska  coast,  where  it  thrives  to  perfection.  It 
shows  a  tendency  to  occupy  the  ground  where  closely  grazed,  and 
cattle  exhibit  a  marked  preference  for  it.  Several  closely  allied 
species  also  occur,  and  it  i-  an  important  fact  that  they  persist  ami 
increase  where  other  grasses  disappear,  which  seems  to  insure  the 
permanence  id'  pasturage  of  a  high  quality. 

Silver-top. — The  very  nutrition-  grasses  known  a-  silver-top 
(Deschampsia  c&spitosa  and  D.  bottnica)  occur  in  some  abundance, 
especially  in  gravelly  soil-,  whether  on  the  hill-ides  or  near  the  sea- 
shore.  Owing  to  their  -terns  being  nearly  leafless  they  yield  hut 
little  hay.  but  the  numerous  fine  basal  leave-  furnish  most  excellent 
forage. 

Siberian  fescue. — Siberian  fescue  [Festuca  altaica)  makes  large 
tussocks,  especially  in  gravelly  soil  and  in  open  timber  up  to  L,000 
feet  elevation.  In  such  location-  it  often  make-  a  nearly  pure  growth 
It  seems  to  he  fully  a-  nutritious  a-  the  well-known  sheep  fescue, 
hut  i-  a  much  larger  grass. 

Sedges. — Two  tall  species  id'  sedge,  Carex  cryptocarpa  and  C. 
sitchensis,  in  place-  make  dense  stands  :'>  feet  high  or  more,  especially 
in  wet  -oil:  in  the  case  of  (he  former,  more  especially  in  tidal 
marshes.  Considerable  quantities  of  tin-  sedge  were  cut  for  hay 
near  Kadiak.  and  it  i-  said  to  furnish  excellent  \\^'i\.  These  sedges 
are  both  quite  smooth  and  soft,  unlike  most  other-. 

Alaska  /"/>/'//<.  The  blue-flowered  plant  known  as  Alaska  lupine 
(Lupinus  unalaschensis)  is  quite  tall,  often  3  feet  high,  and  some- 
times occupies  large  area-  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  other  plant-, 
li  i  thick  leaved  and  rather  fleshy,  ami  i-  the  only  leguminous  plant 
thai    i-  really  abundant    in   Alaska.     Sheep  eat    it   readily.     Should 

it  prove  palatable  as  well  a-  nutritious  t<>  cattle  the  problem  of  a  o | 

winter  ration  for  milch  cow-  would  be  considerably  simplified.  Ex- 
periments with  it  as  silage,  both  pure  and  mixed  with  grass,  are  much 
to  be  desired. 

29975     \...  si'     05   \i    — 3 


lb  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

With  the  exception  of  this  plant  the  only  legumes  of  forage  value 
in  the  grass  regions  arc  two  specie-  of  wild  pea.  both  of  which, 
unfortunately,  are  rather  scarce. 

Fireweed. — The  well-known  plant  called  fireweed  (Epilobium  an- 
gustifolium  )  often  occupies  the  ground  to  the  exclusion  of  others, 
especially  where  the  land  has  been  burned  over  in  summer  and  the 
grass  roots  thus  destroyed.  Sheep  seem  fond  of  it.  It  is  possible 
that  this  plant  may  prove  profitable  as  silage,  at  least  when  mixed 
with  grasses,  but  no  tests  with  this  end  in  view  seem  to  have  been 
made.     Its  great  abundance  at  times  makes  such  a  test  desirable. 

There  are  three  possible  ways  of  preserving  the  above-mentioned 
plants  for  winter  feed.  The  more  easily  dried — as  bluetop  and  blue- 
grass — may  be  made  into  hay.  Continued  sunshiny  weather  on  the 
Alaska  coast  is  not  to  be  depended  upon,  so  that  haymaking  is 
accomplished  only  with  much  uncertainty.  Where  one  needs  but  a 
small  amount  of  fodder,  little  difficulty  is  experienced  in  select- 
ing the  few  necessary  sunshiny  days.  Where,  on  the  contrary,  one 
needs  great  quantities  of  winter  feed,  haymaking  is  impracticable. 
Resort  in  such  cases  must  be  had  either  to  brown  hay  or  to  silage. 
Brown  hay  is  simply  half-cured  hay,  made  by  stacking  the  grass 
green  or  half  dry — really  a  compromise  between  hay  and  silage. 
Sometimes  salt  is  scattered  over  the  layers  while  it  is  being  -lacked. 
It  is  more  or  less  used  in  all  countries  where  haymaking  is  difficult. 
While  analyses  show  it  to  contain  practically  as  much  nutriment  as 
hay  or  silage,  cattle  are  not  eager  for  it,  and  it  can  be  considered 
only  an  emergency  feed. 

Unquestionably  when  large  quantities  of  winter  forage  are  needed 
for  stock,  silage  must  be  depended  upon,  and  undoubtedly,  all  thing- 
considered,  it  will  be  the  most  satisfactory  \\'c<\.  Practically  the  only 
Alaska  forage  plant  thus  far  used  as  silage  is  beach  rye.  and  the 
experiences  with  this  plant  of  Prof.  C.  C.  Georgeson,  special  agent 
in  charge  of  the  Alaska  Agricultural  Experiment  Stations,  and  of 
others  who  have  grown  it.  show  it  to  be  both  palatable  and  nutri- 
tious. In  all  probability  other  Alaskan  grasses,  and  perhaps  other 
plants,  will  be  found  to  be  quite  as  satisfactory. 

Where  timber  is  available  silos  may  be  constructed  of  logs,  like 
the  one  at  the  Sitka  Experiment  Station.  This  silo  has  the  advantage 
of  enabling  a  man  to  utilize  his  own  labor.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
material  for  stave  silos  can  he  secured  at  very  reasonable  price-,  and 
this  doubtless  is  the  best  silo  to  use  in  the  timberless  regions. 

Idol)   VALUE   OF    NATIVE     \I.\sk\N    GRASSES. 

Chemical  analyse-  have  been  made  of  the  principal  Alaskan  grasses, 
and  while  these  can  be  properly  interpreted  only  in  connection  with 


i   LJLTIV  M'.l  I.    FORAGE    CROPS. 


digestion  experiments,  their  comparison  with  the  analyse; 
arcl  grasses  furnishes  some  measure  of  their  value. 


19 
of  stand- 


Inali/ses  of  Alaskan  grasses  (air-dried  samples  taken  when  in  flower). 


Calamagrostis  langsdorfii  (Bl 

Sedgi        

Beach  rye 
I'hhiim  pratt  ■•  •     Timi it li\ 
Pou  prah  nsis  <  Bluegrass  > 
Descnampsia  bottnica  (Silver-top 

agrostis  aleutica 


Water      Protein. 


Nitro 
extract. 


<  Irude 


Ash 


'     Percent.    Percent.    Fervent.    Percent.    Percent. 


;.  is 

11  92 

-    19 
8  II 


I  58 

M  32 

12  71 

8  '.'l 

-  94 

i  ii 

III  INI 


1  03 

2  \-> 

2  ii 
2  in 
:.'  h; 
1.37 


40.37 
45  34 

15.  69 

1 1   l"i 


i  ■  s)4 

30.31 
30.08 
34  24 
31.54 

38  -'.i 


.    .. 

in  65 

7  .51 

1.58 

I  15 

i  v 


[nalyses  of  standard  grassi  s  foi  comparison. 


I 'u,  i  pratensis  i  Bluegrass   

Am  ostis  alba  I  Redti  ip  

Phleum  pratt  n*     Timi  ii  by 
Dactylis  glorm  rata  I  <  Ircbard  grass 
oipsia  in  spit    a    Sili  er  top) 
Calamagrostis  canadi  nsis    Bluejoint) 


Water      Protein 


Pat. 


Nitro 
gen  free 
extract. 


Crude 
Bber. 


Percent     Percent     Percent     Percent     Percent. 


i;  ii 

14.30 
15.01 

Ii  30 
I4.:*i 


111    Mi 

8  l- 
6.01 

9.04 

11  in 


2.84 

2.28 

I  06 
3.  15 


in.  In 
ii;  ;: 
n.90 

47.  IIS 
35  82 


22  09 
21.71 

I 


Ash 


/'.  /■  cent. 

:.  90 
I  18 
5  12 
9.37 

.  19 


The  analyses  of  the  Alaskan  grasses  were  all  made  by  the  Bureau 
iif  Chemistr}  of  the  Department  of  A.rgiculture,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  first  three,  from  material  collected  in  1904,  were  originally 
published  in  Bulletin  X<>.  Is.  Office  of  Experiment  Stations.  The 
other  analyses  have  been  compiled  from  various  authorities. 


i  1  i.n\  \r.ii.    n  iK  \(,i:   <  i;i  IPS. 

The  experiences  of  a  number  of  individual  investigators,  as  well  as 
the  tests  made  al  the  Sitka  and  Kenai  experiment  stations,  throw  a 
good  deal  of  light  on  the  possibility  of  growing  fodder  plants  and 
forage  crop-  on  cultivated  land.  Much  more  testing  is  necessary, 
however,  before  some  of  the  conclusions  which  at  present  seem  prob- 
able can  be  considered  demonstrated. 

In  the  way  of  grasses  the  tests  made  at  Sitka  by  Professor  George 
-i n  muck  soils  showed  tall  meadow  oat  grass  to  be  the  most  prom- 
ising. Tall  fescue,  bluegrass,  meadow  foxtail,  ami  redtop  did  fairly 
well,  while  orchard  grass,  timothy,  and  Italian  rye-grass  were  not 
promising.  From  observations  on  a  number  of  these  and  other 
grasses  introduced  by  chance,  some  rather  detinue  conclu  ton  may 
be  drawn.  Timothy  is  more  or  less  abundantly  introduced  at  various 
place-  on  the  coast,  but  doe-  not  as  a  rule  thrive  very  well,  being  often 
inferior  m  size  to  the  native  mountain   timothv.     It  is  altogether 


20 


<;i;ass  lands  of  the  south   Alaska   coast. 


probable,  however,  that  a  variety  of  timothy  suited  to  the  conditions 
might  readily  be  secured  by  selection,  as  chance  specimens  of  the 
plant  seen  Merc  very  fine.  The  success  of  such  a  selection,  however, 
will  largely  depend  on  the  possibility  of  growing  seed  in  Alaska. 

Among  other  useful  grasses  that  have  become  accidentally  intro- 
duced and  show  marked  adaptability  to  the  conditions  are  redtop, 
rough-stalk  meadow  grass,  bluegrass,  and  fowl  meadow  grass. 

White  clover  thrives  everywhere  along  the  coast  and  is  an  aggres- 
sive plant.  Red  clover  and  alsike  are  not  promising  and  alfalfa 
does  not  thrive. 

In  the  way  of  cereals,  the  earliest  varieties  of  oats  and  barley  will 
mature  for  two  or  possibly  three  out  of  five  seasons.  Of  course,  such 
a  crop  is  not  entirely  lost  if  the  grain  fails  to  mature,  as  it  can  be 
utilized  as  hay  or  silage.  On  this  account  it  will  probably  be  wisest 
to  grow  the  crop  mixed  with  field  peas,  as  such  a  mixture  will  make 
excellent  silage,  whereas  oats  alone  could  only  be  preserved  as  hay.  a 
difficult  thing  to  do  so  late  in  the  season.  It  is  to  be  clearly  under- 
stood that  under  present  conditions  it  is  unnecessary  to  plant  any 
cultivated  ground  in  such  crops  as  grass,  or  perhaps  even  legumes. 
The  above  facts  are  of  value  simply  as  indicating  what  well-known 
forage  plants  will  thrive,  thus  to  some  extent  showing  the  future 
agricultural  possibilities  of  Alaska. 

SILAGE    ALONE    AS    A    RATION    FOB    MILCH    COWS. 

The  writer  has  been  unable  to  find  any  published  data  on  results 
obtained  by  feeding  milch  cows  nothing  but  grass  silage.  Presuma- 
bly the  best  of  results  would  not  thus  be  obtained. 

In  order  to  obtain  some  light  on  the  subject.  Dr.  James  Withy- 
combe,  director  of  the  Oregon  Experiment  Station,  was  requested  to 
conduct  such  a  test.  The  results  of  his  experiment  arc  reported  as 
follows : 

The  silage  test  was  made  on  a  nonbreeding  Jersey  cow  which  freshened  in 
February,  1002.  In  January,  1904,  this  cow  was  fed  largely  on  silage,  with  a 
moderate  amount  of  mill  feed  and  light  ration  of  hay  as  a  preliminary  prepara 
lion.  From  February  1  to  April  30  she  was  fed  wholly  on  corn  silage  and  a  light 
ration  of  ground  oats  daily.  She  consumed  during  the  ninety  days'  feeding 
3,785  pounds  of  corn  silage  and  270  pounds  of  the  oat  chop.  The  following  table 
shows  variation  in  weight  and  her  product  ion  : 


Date. 

Weight. 

Milk. 

A\  er 
age 
test 

Fat. 

Hati' 

Weight. 

Milk. 

Aver- 
age 
test 

Fat. 

1  lecember  1 

January  1 

February  1 

955 

iit:> 

Lbs. 
196 
l!)9 

1T« 

P.  ct. 

5.  !t 

Lbs. 
LI.  36 

it  ;i 

111.  15 

March  1 

April  1 

April  30 

Lbs. 
925 

890 
860 

1,6s. 
L95 

m 

/'.  ct. 
5  8 

Lbs. 
11.31 
12.  15 

ALASKAN     EXPERIENCE    IN    STOCK    RAISING.  "_' 1 

Tbe  uow  was  In  good  condition  at  the  close  of  the  experiment,  which  indicates 
thai  silage  may  with  safety  constitute  :i  large  portion  of  the  ration  of  a  dairy 
cow. 

This  experiment  was  undertaken  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Govermuenl  ngros- 
tologisl  to  determine  in  a  measure  if  ii  were  practicable  to  winter  cattle  in 
Alaska  on  grass  silage. 

The  •"■  pounds  of  ground  oats  were  fed  daily  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the 
corn  silage  up  to  a  protein  standard  equaling  thai  of  mixed-grass  silage. 

Protein  percent  ugt  <</'  feed  consumed. 

Ground    oats 11. 5G 

Corn   silage  1.  58 

Protein  percentage  of  grass  silage  ( approximately)     2.72 

Average  ainouul  of  total  protein  consumed  daily  in  VI  pounds  of  corn  silage 
and  ■"•  pounds  of  ground  oats,  l.OI  pounds.  Approximate  amount  of  protein  con- 
tained in  K)  pounds  of  grass  silage,  1.08  [rounds. 

Ii  will  thus  he  seen  thai  this  test  indicates  that  cattle  can  he  successfully 
wintered  on  grass  silage  and  that  dairy  cows  may  he  expected  to  yield  a  reason 
a  Me  a  in.  nun  of  milk  when  ted  exclusivelj  on  this  feed. 

\I.\ska\     EXPERIENCE    IN    STOCK    RAISING. 

//■•o-.  A  feu  hogs  were  seen  ;it  various  Alaska  villages.  They 
are  fed  refuse,  ami  graze  on  various  succulent  plants  when  obtain 
able.  They  are  very  fond  of  wild  rice,  the  l>ull>  of  a  lilylike  plant 
{Fritillaria  Jcamtschatica) ,  which,  however,  is  noi  very  abundant. 
Unfortunately  these  animals  are  prone  to  feed  on  fish  offal  and  other 
sea  refuse,  and  as  a  consequence  their  flesh  has  a  disagreeable  flavor. 
Unquestionably  there  is  too  little  feed  adapted  t<>  hogs  to  make  their 
raising  profitable  in  Alaska. 

Goats.  Angora  goats  have  Keen  tested  by  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  at  Kadiak  and  by  Rev.  ('.  P.  Cue  at  Wood  I  -lam  I. 
According  to  Mr.  Washburn,  formerly  resident  superintendent  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  at  Kadiak.  the  company  had  a  lew 
years  ago  aboul  50  head  of  these  animals  on  Ukamak  Island,  neat' 
Kadiak,  which  were  entirely  self-sustaining,  increasing  about  60  per 
cent  each  year.  The  mohair  i-  said  t<>  have  been  good,  both  in  quan- 
tity and  quality. 

Rev.  ('.  I'.  Cm',  id'  Wood  Island,  ha-  several  head  of  Angora  goats 
which  have  passed  the  la-t  two  winters  with  but  little  cafe.  This 
year  hi-  herd  ha-  shown  very  satisfactory  increase,  and  no  difficulty  is 
anticipated  in  wintering  the  kids.  A  large  part  of  their  I'rfA  i- 
derived   from  willow-  and  other  browse,  and  where  this  is  abundant 

(he  animal-  n 1   but    little   feed   in   winter.     Owing  to  their  tracta- 

bility  and  the  ease  with  which  the\  are  kept,  especially  where  browse 
i-  abundant,  Angora  goats  should  prove  most  useful  animals  both 
for  the  Datives  and  for  w lute-. 


22  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

Sheep  husbandry. — Two  definite  attempts  have  been  made  to 
establish  sheep  raising  in  south  Alaska,  though  small  numbers  have 
been  kept  at  various  points  for  short  periods.  The  first  attempt  was 
made  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  which  in  1883  imported 
a  band  of  about  300  sheep  from  California.  Unfortunately  no  accu- 
rate record  of  this  experiment  is  available,  and  the  accounts  of 
various  persons  differ  considerably.  Many  of  the  sheep  died  the 
first  winter,  according  to  some  reports  from  lack  of  shelter,  according 
to  others  from  scab.  The  remainder  were  kept  on  a  small  island 
near  Kadiak.  where  the  only  shelter  was  a  small  grove  of  spruce,  but 
in  winter  they  were  usually  transferred  to  new  grazing  grounds 
where  they  could  feed  on  the  tall,  dry  grass.  In  very  severe  weather 
they  were  sometimes  sheltered  and  fed  hay.  These  sheep  are  said 
to  have  yielded  about  f)  pounds  of  excellent  wool  per  head  each  year, 
and  the  annual  increase  is  reported  to  have  been  about  (50  per  cent  of 
the  adult  animals.  No  particular  care  was  given  them,  and  the  last 
were  slaughtered  about  six  years  ago.  The  venture,  even  excluding 
the  loss  of  the  first  winter,  seems  not  to  have  been  profitable. 

The  only  sheep  now  in  Alaska  art'  on  the  ranch  of  the  Frye-Bruhn 
Company,  near  Kadiak,  who  have  about  80  head.  These  sheep  are  the 
remnant  of  9,000  which  were  shipped  in  from  Oregon  in  L902  and 
L903,  the  remainder  having  perished.  At  first  sight  it  would  seem 
that  this  appalling  loss  of  more  than  08  per  cent  was  conclusive  evi- 
dence that  sheep  raising  in  Alaska  is  not  likely  to  prove  profitable. 
Inquiry  into  the  causes  of  the  mortality  do  not  bear  out  this  conclu- 
sion necessarily.  About  500  of  the  sheep  were  drowned  in  March, 
1903,  by  being  caught  at  the  head  of  a  narrow  cove  by  the  incoming 
tide.  One  hundred  and  fifty  head  were  lost  by  becoming  frightened 
and  jumping  over  cliffs.  The  rest  of  those  that  died  succumbed  to 
scab,  which  broke  out  in  January.  L903.  Owing  to  lack  of  shelter  it 
was  then  impossible  to  treat  them  by  dipping,  as  that  would  practi- 
cally have  been  equivalent  to  killing  them.  The  result  was  that  all 
lnit  so  died  of  the  disease.  Thus  all  the  mortality  was  due  to  causes 
entirely  preventable.  It  was  interesting  to  learn  that  several  head  of 
these  sheep  which  ran  wild  survived  the  winter  without  care,  and  the 
writer  was  informed  by  trustworthy  witnesses  of  other  cases  of  this 
kind.  In  the  light  of  present  knowledge  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether 
sheep  can  be  profitably  raised  in  southwestern  Alaska. 

In  regard  to  the  two  attempts  which  have  been  made,  it  is 
noteworthy  that  in  both  instances  the  animals  were  shipped  from  a 
comparatively  warm  and  Ary  climate  to  one  cool  and  notably  wet; 
furthermore,  that  none  of  them  perished  from  any  cause  directly 
connected  with  the  Alaska  conditions. 

There  are.  however,  some   further  difficulties  in   connection   with 


ALASKAN     EXPERIENCE    IX    STOCK    RAISING. 


23 


sheep  raising  in  Alaska  which  need  careful  consideration.  It  is  the 
general  opinion  in  Kadiak  that  in  an  ordinary  winter  sheep  can  not 
safely  be  lefl  without  care  after  the  beginning  of  January,  [ndeed. 
many  would  place  the  lime  a  month  or  six  week-  earlier.  New  grass 
never  appears  before  May  1"».  and  often  not  until  June  1.  Therefore, 
under  the  best  of  conditions,  sheep  will  nerd  four  and  a  half  months 
nf  feeding  and  shelter.  The  superintendent  of  the  Frye-Bruhn  ranch, 
after  one  winter's  experience,  thinks  that  feed  and  shelter  should  be 
given  for  a  longer  period  than  that  mentioned. 

Another  serious  difficulty  lies  in  the  lateness  of  the  lambing  season. 
It  i-  generally  agreed  that  lambing  should  not  take  place  before 
June  1.  The  lambs  will  need  shelter  and  feed  l>y  December  1  or 
earlier,  unless  one  takes  serious  chances  of  losing  many. 

Whether  sheep  raising  could  be  made  profitable  at  present  under 
such  conditions  remain-  to  be  demonstrated.  The  mere  fact  thai 
sheep  in  small  numbers  have  wintered  without  care  is  no  proof  that 
successful  sheep  husbandry  can  thus  be  carried  on,  nor  even  that  one 
or  two  months'  feeding  will  suffice.  The  risks  involved  in  such  a 
procedure  are  too  great  to  warrant  a  careful  stock  raiser  in  taking 
an\  chances. 

Destructive  wild  animal-  are  no  menace  to  sheep  raising  on  the 
islands.  Eagles  may  destroy  a  few  lambs,  but  these  birds  are  easily 
exterminated.  Kadiak  bears  are  too  scarce  ami  too  easily  destroyed 
to  merit  consideration.  ( )n  the  mainland,  however,  both  wolves  and 
brown  hear-  may  prove  troublesome. 

In  the  light  of  present  knowledge  one  i-  safe  in  saying  that  sheep 
can  be  raised  on  the  Alaska  coast  if  adult-  are  given  five  months"  feed 
and  -heller  and  the  lambs  a  month  more — this  with  the  ordinary 
sheep  of  the  western  ranges.  With  more  hardy  breeds  better  adapted 
to  the  conditions  the  outlook  for  success  would  In-  better.  It  need 
hardly  he  -aid  that  extreme  caution  should  he  taken  to  import  only 
perfectly  healthy  animal-.  -The  greal  mortality  caused  by  scab  and 
the  great  danger  of  such  a  disease  as  foot-rot  in  a  damp  climate  de- 
I  thai  extreme  care  be  taken  not  to  introduce  these  diseases. 

'  "/- .  Cattle  have  been  raised  at  nearly  all  the  Alaskan  coast 
settlements  ever  since  the  Russian  occupation.  Some  of  the  original 
stock,  according  to  local  tradition,  i-  -till  represented  in  the  hand  of 
cattle  at  Nannilchuck.  These  are  small  animal-,  but  -aid  to  be  ven 
hardy.  Nearly  all  of  the  cattle  kepi  near  the  villages  are  milch  cows, 
mo-tl\  grades,  but  a  number  of  Holsteins  and  Jerseys  were  seen. 
When  owned  li\  white-  the  animal-  are  given  shelter  and  \'r>'<\  for 
about  five  month-.  When  they  belong  to  the  native-  they  are  forced 
to  exist  through  the  winter  with  little  or  no  care,  eking  out  an  exist  - 
ence  hv  feeding  on  browse  and  seaweeds.      No  accurate  data  could  he 


24  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

gathered  concerning  the  amount  ami  character  of  the  milk  yield,  but 
it  was  universally  said  that  the  milk  is  most  excellent  in  summer,  and 
good  in  winter  when  the  animals  are  properly  fed.  It  is  unfortunate 
that  no  accurate  records  could  he  obtained  as  to  the  winter  yield  of 
cows  fed  only  on  native  hay  or  silage. 

Several  herds  of  beef  cattle  have  been  successfully  maintained  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Kadiak.  The  experience  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  is  thus  summarized  by  Mr.  Washburn,  the  former 
superintendent  at  Kadiak: 

We  have  bred  stock  on  the  islands  of  Kadiak,  Ukamak,  and  on  Long  Island. 
On  Long  Island  we  have  about  40  head  of  cattle.  .These  cattle  arc  ted  from  two 
in  si\  weeks  each  winter.  The  remainder  of  the  time  they  have  been  aide  to 
get  their  own  subsistence.  During  occasional  winters  we  have  carried  our  stock 
through  with  no  feeding.  We  have  had  very  good  increase  from  them,  and 
should  say  that  the  percentage  of  calves  raised  from  the  breeding  cows  is  aboul 
75.  The  cattle  on  this  island  have  not  been  boused  except  during  the  short 
period  when  we  were  obliged  to  feed  the-  i. 

On  Ukamak  Island  w  have  a  be, ..  of  about  Ho  head,  winch  are  entirely  self- 
sustnining.  We  have  not  fend  it  necessary  either  to  feed  or  shelter  these  cat- 
i  during  the  winter  season,  and  the  increase  has  been  fully  as  good  as  that  of 
the  herd  on  Long  Island. 

On  Kadiak  Island  we  have  not  kept  any  stock  cattle,  but  only  a  herd  of  dairy 
cows  and  some  working  horses.  These  we  have,  of  course,  fed  regularly  during 
the  winter  season  for  about  five  months.  We  are  able  to  cure  sufficient  hay  on  a 
lot  we  have  leveled,  and  we  have  used  the  only  mowing  machine  in  western 
Alaska.  We  have  obtained  very  good  results  from  feeding  the  Alaska  hay  to 
both  cows  and  horses,  and  find  that  they  require  no  more  grain  when  fed  this 
bay  than  when  we  feed  hay  imported  from  California, 

The  Frye-Bruhn  Company,  of  Seattle,  began  operations  near 
Kadiak  in  July,  1903,  importing  about  200  head  of  beef  cattle,  mostly 
Herefords.  Owing  to  unpreparedness  and  inexperience,  about  140 
head  of  this  number  were  lost  during  the  first  year.  Most  of  these 
were  killed  by  falling  over  cliffs.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  earliest 
grass  appears  on  the  steep  southerly  slopes,  the  cattle  crowded  in  such 
places:  in  some  instances  the  sod.  loosened  by  the  frost,  gave  way  and 
precipitated  them  over  the  cliffs.  In  other  cases  the  cattle  used  their 
horns  when  crowded,  the  wounded  ones  losing  their  foothold  in 
endeavoring  to  escape.  As  precautions,  more  care  is  taken  in  select- 
ing the  early  feeding  grounds  and  the  cattle  have  been  dehorned. 

The  common  experience  of  cattle  owners  in  Alaska  ha-  been  that 
the  animals  fatten  readily  on  the  grass  in  the  spring,  and  remain 
in  good  condition  without  care  until  kite  in  the  autumn.  Some 
Herefords  slaughtered  at  Kadiak  in  duly  furnished  beef  of  remark- 
ably line  quality. 

From  the  experience  had  at  the  Kenai  Experiment  Station,  oxen 
keep  in  good  working  condition  all  winter  on  no  other  feed  than 
native  grass   hay   and   silage,   and   the   limited   experience   of  others 


POPULATION     \M>     AVAILABLE    MARK  I.  IS.  25 

has  given  similar  results.     Ii  is  not  probable,  however,  thai  animal- 
will  remain  fal  on  such  feeds  alone. 

Nothing  has  been  done  up  to  the  present  time  in  the  way  of  intro 
ducing  breeds  thai  are  likely  to  be  especially  adapted  to  the  peculiar 
conditions.  It  is  highly  probable,  as  has  been  pointed  out  by  Pro- 
fessor Georgeson,  that  long-haired  hardy  breeds  like  the  Galloway 
or  the  West  Highland  cattle  will  prove  much  more  successful  than 
breeds  adapted  primarily  to  a  drier  and  warmer  climate. 

POPl   L.ATIOM     \M>     WAILABLE    MARKETS. 

No  very  accurate  data  are  available  as  to  the  present  population  of 
the  Alaska  coast  towns  and  villages,  which  furnish  the  only  markets 
close  t e »  the  grass  lands.  The  population  of  the  principal  towns 
alon»-  the  coast  is  approximately  as  follows:  Sitka,  1,500;  Valdez, 
1,000;  Seward,  500;  Kadiak,  50;  Unalaska  and  Dutch  Harbor, 
600.  The  total  population  from  Valdez  to  Unalaska,  inclusive,  is 
about  s.oiM).  of  whom  less  than  one  half  are  whites.  From  Valdez 
to  Sitka,  excluding  the  former,  the  population  is  perhaps  4,000.  about 
half  of  them  white.  Thus  the  coast  of  Alaska  from  Sitka  to  Una 
I  ask  a  provides  a  market  population  at  present  of  not  more  than 
6,000  people,  as  no  market  for  meat  or  dairy  products  can  be  expected 
so  far  as  the  natives  are  concerned. 

No  account  is  here  taken  of  the  town-;  lying  alone-  the  interior 
channels  in  southeastern  Alaska,  whose  populations  aggregate  per- 
haps 8,000  white-,  though  a  portion  of  this  market  could  perhaps  he 

reached. 

Skagway  and  Valdez  are  the  principal  south  Alaskan  point-  which 
supply  the  interior,  and  consequently  are  of  especial  importance  in 
considering  market-. 

A  considerable  market  for  beef  and  dairy  products  could  perhaps 
he  established  by  shipping  from  Unalaska  to  the  population  of  the 
Nome  district  and  the  lower  Yukon.  Unalaska  i-  on  the  line  of 
transportation  from  Puget  Sound  to  Nome  and  the  Yukon  River, 
though  at  presenl  few  of  the  vessels  stop  there. 

Thus  the  presenl  available  market-  in  Alaska  for  live-stock 
product-  are  very  limited.  The  supply  for  these  markets  at  the 
present  time  is  shipped  from  Puget  Sound. 

It  is  evident,  however,  that  it  is  possible  to  raise  in  Alaska  far  more 
produce  of  tin-  kind  than  the  local  market-  can  consume.  The  onlv 
ether  market-  that  can  possibly  be  readied  are  those  furnished  by  the 
cities  of  British  Columbia  and  of  the  State  of  Washington.  Freight 
fate-  aie  at  present,  and  perhaps  w  ill  lie  I'm-  -nine  lime  to  come,  such 
that  dairy  product-  and  wool  are  the  only  article-  (hat  could  profit 
aU\   he  -hipped  to  such  d  i-lant   port-. 


20 


GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 


No  predictions  can  here  be  ventured  concerning  the  future  devel- 
opment of  south  Alaska.  The  present  resources  are  mainly  furs, 
fisheries,  and  mines.  The  fur  industry  is  becoming  less  and  less 
important.  The  fisheries  are  already  highly  developed,  but  are 
capable  of  considerable  increase.  The  mines  undoubtedly  will  be- 
come more  and  more  important.  It  is  probable,  too.  that  the  exten- 
sive explorations  now  carried  on  in  prospecting  for  oil  will  result 
in  the  development  of  another  important  industry. 

FREIGHTS  AND  TRANSPORTATION. 

At  the  present  time  both  freight  and  passenger  rates  to  and  be- 
tween Alaskan  ports  may  be  considered  moderate.  The  great  bulk 
of  the  freight  traffic  is  northward,  a  condition  that  is  not  unlikely 
to  continue.  Any  permanent  increase  in  the  traffic  to  and  from 
Alaskan  ports  will  naturally  be  accompanied  by  a  corresponding 
lowering  of  rates.  The  transportation  companies  doing  business  in 
south  Alaska  seem  to  be  quite  as  liberal  as  conditions  will  permit, 
and  so  far  as  expressed  sentiment  goes  their  general  policy  will  be 
the  wise  one  of  encouraging  as  far  as  possible  any  industry  that 
promises  to  add  to  the  sum  total  of  the  traffic. 

DESIRABILITY  OF  SOUTH  ALASKA  AS  A  HOME. 

<  'Innate. — The  south  Alaska  coast  lies  in  the  same  latitude  as 
northern  Labrador,  the  north  of  Scotland,  and  the  south  of  Sweden, 
but  none  of  these  regions  is  very  similar  to  it.  In  fact,  south  Alaska 
has  several  peculiarities  which  render  dose  comparison  with  any 
other  region  difficult.  In  general,  the  climate  is  a  moist  one.  accom- 
panied by  no  great  extremes  in  temperature.  The  thermometer  very 
seldom  reaches  zero  in  winter,  nor  does  it  exceed  7.V    Y .  in  summer. 

The  following  tables  give  the  more  important  meteorological  data 
as  compiled  from  various  published  reports,  localities  in  Sweden, 
Canada,  and  the  State  of  Washington  being  included  lor  comparison: 

Monthly  mill  annual  mean  temperatures  at  points  in  Alaska  ami  eslewhere. 


Station. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May. 

June. 
F. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sep! 

Ocl 

Nov. 

Dec. 

An 
nual. 

F, 

o  F 

F 

F 

o  F 

/' 

°  F. 

o   F 

o    F 

'  F. 

/• 

F. 

Sitka" 

31.4 

32  9 

:i.r>.  t; 

40.8 

47.0 

52  l 

55,  1 

55.  9 

51.5 

II  '.1 

38  1 

33.3 

43.3 

Sitka  '■ ... 

34.2 

83.0 

31 .  2 

41.9 

16  9 

51.6 

54.4 

56.6 

52.3 

45. ; 

39. 8 

86.0 

44.  i r> 

28. 2 

32.6 

36. 3 

43.  :>. 

19.5 

54  ; 

50.0 

42.  3 

84.7 

30  5 

in  6 

I'nalaska" 

30.0 

31.9 

30.4 

35  6 

in  '.i 

16.3 

50.6 

51.9 

15. 5 

37.6 

33. 6 

30.  1 

38  i 

I'nalaska  b 

33. 5 

30.5 

32.6 

35. 2 

in  1 

45.  9 

19  6 

50  3 

16.0 

in  l 

34.6 

32. 8 

39.3 

Porl     Angeles, 

Wasli 

34.7 

36.  T 

41.7 

15, 6 

50  6 

54.0 

56  6 

56.8 

52. 7 

it  ; 

4:;.  4 

38  3 

16  1 

i  it  tawa,  <  !anada 

11.9 

12.2 

17.6 

41.5 

63.  •; 

66.9 

70.4 

68. : 

57.7 

13.1 

34.5 

17.8 

12  1 

Stockholm,  S  w  e 

29. 5 

83. 8 

39  5 

ra.r, 

57  n 

59  I 

59. 3 

53. 6 

tu  6 

35  6 

27. 3 

43.4 

"  Prom  records  kept  by  the  Russian  Government 
b  From  records  of  the  United  States  Signal  Service 


DESIRABILITY     OF    SOUTH    ALASKA    AS    a    HOME. 
\.verag.e  precipitation  <tt  points  in  Alaska. 


,J.  rH 

B.fe   . 

-.-*■ 

■  ion. 

a 
a 
a 

s 
- 

i 

3 

- 

•J 

>. 

1. 

s 

P. 

-4 

1 

a 

-_ 
> 

z 

i 

5  s  z 
0  _  „ 

>-s 

PE| 

^-: 

< 

S            Hj 

~       0 

/- 

: 

y. 

- 

E* 

H 

hi. 

In. 

hi. 

In. 

/li           hi. 

h«.     hi. 

/... 

hi. 

hi. 

hi. 

hi. 

hi. 

Sitku 

8  iri 

7.78 

5.03  :; 

1.  14   li  67 

10. W    12.90 

in   77 

29  :,1 

Kadiak 

6.56   3 

6.  18 

1    (11      i 

7  26     s  IW 

fi  ;.i; 

7  !M 

11   M 

68.  16 

92  11 

26   II 

tJnalaska 

L3.81 

7.68 

7.51 

I   1'.'    I  26 

1 1 .  US 

Iii  comparing  the  data  for  Sitka,  Kadiak,  and  LTnalaska  it  will  be 
noted  that  the  average  mean  temperature  of  Sitka  i-  a  little  higher 
than  that  of  K adiak.  which  in  turn  is  higher  than  that  of  LTnalaska. 
It  will  also  be  noted  that  Sitka  and  LTnalaska  have  about  the  same 
rainfall     considerably  greater  than  that  of  Kadiak. 

A  matter  of  more  practical  consequence  than  cither  the  copious 
rainfall  or  the  comparatively  high  mean  temperature  is  the  rather 
low  total  of  effective  temperatures  during  the  months  from  .May  to 
September,  inclusive.  By  effective  temperature  is  meant  that  above 
13  !•'..  at  which  plant  growth  practically  begins.  These  totals,  as 
compiled  by  Evans,"  arc  as  follows: 

Sitka  •         1,  IT'.l.  1 

KadiaU  1.  152.  1 

I'nalaska  624.5 

furl   Angeles,  Wash  1.  671.  0 

i  illawa.    Canada  .'..  12-1.  7 

Scotland  1,  692.  7 

Stockholm,    Sweden  -J.  704.  D 

The  difference  in  totals  between  Sitka  and  Kadiak  is  very  striking, 
but  not  -ii  much  as  that  between  Kadiak  and  LTnalaska.  Undoubt- 
edly this  effective  temperature  factor  is  the  principal  cause  of  the 
-harp  demarcation  between  the  timbered  and  the  timberless  regions 
on  the  Alaska  coast. 

Gardi  n  products.  This  same  factor  the  low  total  of  effective  tem- 
peratures— limits  also  the  variety  of  garden  products  that  can  be 
grown,  but  along  the  whole  coast  a  considerable  variety  of  vegeta 
bles  is  successfully  raised,  such  as  potatoes,  turnips,  cabbage,  cauli- 
flower, Brussels  sprouts,  kale,  lettuce,  pea-,  radishes,  and  rhubarb. 
Red  currants  and  rrA  raspberries  grow  wild  on  Cook  Lnlet,  and  these 
hardy  varieties  will  thrive  at  mosl  place-  along  the  coast  at  Sitka 
even  the  ordinary  garden  varieties  ripening.  In  southeastern  Alaska 
salmon  berries,  cranberries,  and  huckleberries  grow  wild  in  abun 
dance. 

Bulletin    So.    Is.  Office  of   Experiment   Stations,   t'.   S.   Department  of  Agri 
culture. 


28  GRASS   LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH   ALASKA    COAST. 

Fuel. — In  the  timbered  region  a  supply  of  fuel  is  easily  obtainable, 
while  in  the  timberless  country  a  rather  scant  quantity  is  secured 
from  scrubby  willows  and  alders  and  from  beach  drift,  Coal  of  an 
inferior  quality,  but  still  fairly  satisfactory  for  domestic  use.  is 
abundant  along  Cook  Inlet,  At  present  none  of  this  is  mined,  but 
considerable  quantities  are  gathered  from  exposed  ledges,  or  from 
drift  on  the  beaches.  Most  of  the  coal  used  along  the  Alaska  Penin- 
sula, •  however,  is  at  present  shipped  from  Puget  Sound.  In  some 
localities  the  paraffin  residue  from  oil  seepage  is  utilized  as  fuel. 

CHOICE   OF   A    LOCATION. 


In  general,  Kadiak  and  the  neighobring  islands  and  the  Cook  Inlet 
country  are  the  most  favorable  places  for  live-stock  raising  on 
account  of  a  great  luxuriance  of  grasses  and  contiguity  to  timber. 
The  Cook  Inlet  region  enjoys  the  reputation  of  being  the  garden  spot 
of  the  Alaska  coast,  apparently  producing  finer  vegetables  than  else- 
where, though  lying  farther  north  than  the  Alaska  Peninsula  and 
most  of  the  territory  described  in  these  pages.  The  accessible  grass 
lands  here  are,  however,  comparatively  limited. 

On  the  other  hand,  Unalaska  and  the  neighboring  islands,  while 
possessing  less  abundant  grass  and  perhaps  a  less  favorable  climate, 
can  perhaps  reach  markets  in  the  Nome  region  and  on  the  lower 
Yukon.  At  Vakutat.  while  the  grass  is  not  overabundant,  the  loca- 
tion is  more  favorable  for  shipments  southward. 

The  j)rime  requisite  of  any  Alaska  location  is  a  sufficiently  large 
available  supply  of  winter  forage.  Of  summer  range  there  is  an 
abundance  nearly  everywhere,  but  the  utilization  of  this  is  definitely 
limited  by  the  number  of  cattle  one  can  safely  winter.  The  all- 
important  point  is  therefore  to  have  a  sufficient  acreage  of  land  from 
which  hay  or  silage  can  be  secured.  By  selecting  locations  on  the 
fiat  lands  that  so  commonly  occur  at  the  heads  of  the  narrow  fiords 
one  can  easily  control  for  all  practical  purposes  great  areas  of  grazing 
lands. 

The  writer  can  not  refrain  from  quoting  here  the  following  opinion 
of  a  widely  traveled  man  from  California,  who  for  three  years  has 
been  engaged  in  placer  mining  on  the  beach  on  the  west  side  of  Kadiak 
Island  and  who  is  seriously  considering  taking  up  a  homestead  and 
bringing  his  family  to  Alaska: 

In  .-ill  my  travels  I  have  never  found  a  place  where  one  can  live  so  well  or 
so  cheaply  as  I  have  done  for  (lie  past  three  years.  I  can  raise  all  sorts  of 
hardy  vegetables  and  berries,  besides  the  wild  ones,  and  have  unlimited  grass 
to  keep  cattle  and  sheep.  Fish  of  the  choicest  snrts  salmon,  halibut,  cod,  and 
many  others-  are  very  abundant,  and  the  stream  flowing  by  my  cabin  door 
swarms  with  trout.     In  the  way  of  big  game  there  are  hears.     Of  small  game 


LAND    LAWS    APPLYING    10    ALASKA.  29 

ducks  and  geese  are  plentiful  lu  the  spring  and  fall,  and  fresh  gull  eggs  may  he 
had  for  the  gathering.  To  add  to  all  this,  if  ready  money  is  qoI  available,  1 
can  always  make  g 1  wages  at  least  by  washing  oul  gold  <>n  the  beach. 

Surel}  there  is  here  a  combination  of  resources  thai  makes  failure 
well-nigh  impossible. 

LAND   LAWS   APPLYING   TO    ALASKA. 

The  follow  ing  repori  regarding  the  methods  by  which  title  may  be 
secureo  to  agricultural  lands  in  Alaska  was  prepared  in  the  office 
of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office,  through  the  cour- 
tesy of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  It  refer-  solely  to  acquiring 
title  to  agricultural  land-  and  not  to  the  town-site  or  mineral  laws,  <>r 
to  mis-ion  claims  under  -eel  ion  -_'7  of  the  act  of  dune  6,  L900  (  3]  Stat. 
L.,  330)  : 

Section  l  of  the  act  of  Congress  approved  May  14,  1898  (30  Stat.  I...  409), 
extending  the  homestead  laws  to  Alaska,  may  be  summarized  as  follows: 

First.   Extending  the  1 testead  laws  and  the  rights  incident    thereto  to  the 

district  of  Alaska. 

Second.  Extending  to  such  district  the  righl  to  enter  surveyed  lands  under 
provisions  of  law  relating  t«>  the  acquisition  of  title  through  soldiers'  addi- 
tional homestead  rights. 

Third.  Granting  the  righl  to  enter  unsurveyed  lands  in  said  district  under 
provisions  of  law  relating  to  the  acquisition  of  title  through  soldiers'  additional 
homestead  rights. 

Fourth.  Prohibiting  the  location  in  said  district  of  any  indemnity,  deficiency, 
or  lieu  lands  pertaining  to  auj  land  grant  whatsoever  orgiuating  outside  of  said 
district. 

Fifth.  Limiting  each  entry  under  this  section  to  so  rod-  along  the  shore  of 
any  navigable  water,  and  reserving  along  such  shore  o  space  at  least  so  rods 
between  all  such  claims,  and  prohibiting  the  entry  or  disposal  of  the  shore 
(meaning  land  lying  between  bigh  and  low  water  mark  i  of  any  navigable  waters 
within  said  district. 

Sixth.   Limiting  each  homestead   in  said  district,  whether  soldiers'  additional 

Or  otherwise,  to  80  acres   in  extent. 

This  section  was  amended  by  the  acl  of  March  3,  1903  (32  Stat.  I...  1028),  the 
pro\  isioiis  of  which  may  he  stated  as  follows  : 

The  amendatory  •'"''  doc-  not  specifically  reenacl  that  portion  of  the  acl  of 
1898  which  granted  the  righl  to  enter  unsurveyed  lands  in  the  district  of  Alaska 
under  the  provisions  of  law  relating  to  the  acquisition  of  title  through  soldiers' 

additional  rights,  hut   it   is  provided  thereby  "that   in re  than  one  hundred 

and  sixtj  acres  shall  he  entered  in  any  single  body  by  such  scrip,  lion  selei  tion, 
•  r  soldiers'  additional  homestead  right,"  which  seems  to  negative  any  intention 

to  i lify  or  repeal  the  existing  law  with  regard  to  the  exercise  of  such  rights 

in  the'  district  of  Alaska  further  than  to  limit  the  amount  which  may  he  entered 
in  a  single  bodj  m  |(>0  acres.  Further,  that  portion  of  the  amendatory  act 
which  provides  that  "no  indemnity,  deficiency,  or  Inn  land  selections  pertaining 
to  any  land  granl  outside  of  the  district  of  Alaska  shall  he  made,  and  no  land 
scrip  or  land  warrant  of  anj  kind  whatsoever  shall  he  located  within  or  exer 
cised  upon  any  lands  in  said  district,  except  as  now    provided  by  law."  seems  to 


30  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

recognize  that  there  are  such  outstanding  rights;  but,  unless  soldiers'  additional 
homestead  rights  are  thereby  considered  .-is  scrip  rights,  iliis  Department  is  noi 
advised  as  to  any  other  law  permitting  the  exercise  of  any  such  rights  in  the 
district  of  Alaska.  Soldiers'  additional  homestead  applications,  under  sections 
2306  and  2307,  Revised  Statutes,  are  received  as  heretofore,  but  not  more  than 
L60  acres  can  be  taken  in  a  single  body. 

The  act  of  1898  is  amended  so  as  to  increase  the  amount  of  land  which  may 

I niored  as  a  homestead  in  the  district  of  Alaska  to  320  acres,  and  in  providing 

therefor  grants  such  rights  to  "any  person  who  is  qualified  under  existing  laws 
to  make  homestead  entry  of  the  public  lands  of  the  United  States  who  has 
settled  upon,  or  who  shall  hereafter  settle  upon,  any  id'  the  public  lands  of  the 
United  States  situated  in  the  district  of  Alaska,  whether  surveyed  or  uusur- 
veyed."  If  a  person  he  qualified,  therefore,  to  make  homestead  entry  under 
existing  laws,  he  may  enter  not  to  exceed  320  acres,  upon  which  he  may  have 
settled,  in  the  district  of  Alaska,  and  without  regard  to  the  amount  he  nii^rht  be 
authorized  to  make  homestead  entry  of  elsewhere:  but  the  right  to  locate  a 
soldier's  additional  homestead  right  in  the  district  of  Alaska,  without  settle- 
ment, is  not  thereby  changed.     Only  160  acres  or  less  may  be  commuted. 

No  entry  of  any  kind  in  the  district  of  Alaska  can.  however,  be  allowed  for 
land  extending  more  than  160  rods  along  the  shore  id'  any  navigable  water. 
which  is  twice  the  extent  originally  permitted  by  the  act  of  1898,  and  along 
such  shore  a  space  of  it  least  SO  rods  is  reserved  between  all  claims,  being  the 
same  as  originally  provided  in  the  act  of  1898. 

HOMESTEADS. 

The  homestead  laws  secure  to  qualified  persons  the  righl  to  settle  upon. 
enter,  and  acquire  title  to  not  exceeding  :;'_'ii  aires  of  public  land,  by  establishing 
and  maintaining  residence  thereon  and  improving  and  cultivating  the  laud  for 
the  continuous  period  of  live  years. 

A  homestead  entryman  must  be  the  head  of  a  family  or  a  person  who  has 
arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years,  and  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or  one  who 
has  filed  his  declaration  of  intention  to  become  such,  as  required  by  the  nat- 
uralization laws,  to  which  section  .">  of  the  act  of  March  .'!.  1SP1  \-_lc  Stat.  L.. 
1095),  attaches  the  conditions  that  he  must  not  be  the  proprietor  of  more  than 
160  acres  of  land  in  any  State  or  Territory,  and  that  since  August  30,  1890, 
he  has  not  acquired  title  to.  nor  is  now  claiming  under  any  of  the  agricultural 
public-land  laws,  an  amount  of  land  which,  together  with  the  land  now  applied 
for.  will  exceed  in  the  aggregate  320  acres. 

Where  a  wife  has  been  divorced  from  her  husband  or  deserted,  so  that  she 
is  dependent  upon  her  own  resources  for  support,  she  can  make  homestead 
entry  as  the  head  of  a  family  or  as  a  femme  sole. 

Where  an  unmarried  woman  settles  upon  a  tract  of  public  land,  improves 
tin'  same,  establishes  and  maintains  a  bona  fide  residence  thereon  with  the 
intention  of  appropriating  the  same  for  a  home  under  the  homestead  law.  and 
i  hereafter  marries  before  making  entry  of  said  land,  or  before  making  appli- 
cation to  (Miter  said  land,  she  does  not.  on  account  of  her  marriage,  forfeit  her 
right  to  make  entry  and  receive  patent  for  the  land:  Provided,  That  she  docs 
not  abandon  her  residence  on  said  land  and  is  otherwise  qualified  to  make 
homestead  entry:  \ml  provided  further.  That  the  man  whom  she  marries  is 
not,  at  the  lime  of  their  marriage,  claiming  a  separate  tract  of  land  under  the 
homestead  law.      (Act  June  6,  1900,  31  Stat.  L„  6S3.) 


LAND    LAWS    APPLYING    TO     ALASKA.  .">  1 

MM' I  n    VTION     b'OK    A     HOMESTI    U)    ml:    SURVEYED    LAND. 

ro  obtain  a  homestead  tbe  partj  should  selecl  ami  personally  examine  tbe 
land  and  be  satisfied  of  its  character  and  true  description. 

He  must  file  an  application,  stating  his  true  name,  residence,  and  post  office 
address,  and  describing  tbe  land  lie  desires  to  enter,  and  make  affidavit  that  be 
iv  ii, .1  Hi,'  proprietor  of  inure  than  Pit)  acres  of  land  in  any  State  or  Territory; 
thai  be  is  n  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or  thai  be  has  filed  his  declaration  of 
intention  to  become  such,  and  that  be  is  the  head  <>f  a  family,  or  over  21  years 
of  age,  .-is  th<>  case  may  be;  that  bis  application  is  honestly  and  in  good  faith 
made  for  the  purpose  of  actual  settlemenl  and  cultivation,  and  uol  for  the  bene 
lit  of  anj  other  person,  persons,  or  corporation,  and  that  be  will  faithfully  and 

honestlj   endeavor  t mply  with  .-ill  the  requirements  of  law  as  to  settlement, 

residence,  and  cultivation  necessary  to  acquire  title  to  the  land  applied  for; 
thai  he  is  uol  acting  as  ageul  of  any  person,  corporation,  or  syndicate  in  making 
such  entry,  uor  in  collusion  with  any  person,  corporation,  or  syndicate  to  give 
t  In  -ii  i  the  benefil  of  the  land  entered,  or  any  part  thereof,  or  the  timber  thereon  : 

that  be  does  not  apply  to  enter  the  same  for  the  purpose  of  s] illation,  hut   in 

l:impi1  faith  in  obtain  a  home  for  himself,  and  that  he  has  not,  directly  or  in 
directly,  made,  and  will  uol  make,  any  agreemenl  or  contract  in  any  manner 
with  anj  person  or  persons,  corporation,  or  syndicate  whatsoever,  by  which 
the  title  which  be  mighl  acquire  from  the  Government  of  the  United  Stales 
should  inure,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  the  benefil  of  anj  person  except  bimself; 
and.  further,  thai  since  Augusl  30,  1890,  be  has  no1  acquired  title  to  uor  is  be 
, claiming  under  anj  of  the  agricultural  public-land  laws  an  amount  of  land 
which,  together  with  the  laud  he  is  seeking  to  enter,  will  exceed  in  tbe  aggre 
gate  320  acres,  and  that  he  lias  not  theretofore  had  the  benefil  of  the  home 
stead  laws,  and  must  paj  the  legal  fee  and  thai  part  of  the  commissions  which 
is  payable  when  entry  is  made,  and  furnish  the  usual  nonmineral  affidavit. 

on  compliance  bj   the  pariy  with  the  foregoing  requirements  the  receiver  will 
issue  his  receipt  for  the  fee  and  that  part  of  the  commissions  paid,  a  duplicate 
of  which  be  will  deliver  to  the  partj'.     The  matter  will  then  be  entered  in  tbe 
ds  of  the  districl  office  and  reported  to  the  General  Land  Office. 

The  applicant    must    in  every  case  slate   in   his  application   his  place  of  actual 
residence  and  his  post-office  address,  in  order  that   notices  of  proceedings  rela 
five  to  his  entry  may  be  sent  him.      The  register  and  receiver  will  note  the  post 
cilice  address  on  their  tract  hooks. 

INCEPTIVE    RIGHTS   OF    HOMESTEAD    SETTLERS. 

An   inceptive  righl    is   vested   in   the  settler  by   the  proceedings  hereinbefore 
described.     He  must,  within  six  months  after  making  his  entry,  establish   his 
actual   resilience   in   a    bouse   upon   the   land,  and   iiiusl    reside  upon   and   cultivate 
ihe  land  continuously  in  accordance  with  law  for  the  term  of  five  years.     Occa 
sional   visits  i,.  the  land  once  in  six   months  or  oftener  do  not   constitute  resi 

deuce.     The  I lestead  party  must   actually   inhabit    the  land  and  make  it   the 

home  of  himself  and  family,  as  well  as  improve  and  cultivate  it. 

At  the  expiration  of  five  years,  or  within  two  years  thereafter,  be  may  make 
proof  of  his  compliance  with  law  by  residence,  improvement,  and  cultivation  for 
the  full  period  required,  and  initsi  show  that  the  land  has  not  been  alienated 
excepl  as  provided  iii  section  2288,  Revised  Statutes  (sec.  2291,  Rev.  Stat.),  as 
amended  by  section  3  of  the  act  of  March  'A,  lS'Jl  (20  Stat,  L.,  1095), 


32  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

The  period  of  continuous  residence  and  cultivation  begins  to  run  at  the  date 
of  actual  settlement  in  case  the  entry  at  the  district  land  office  is  made  within 
the  prescribed  period  (three  months)  thereafter  or  before  the  intervention  of  a 
valid  adverse  claim.  If  the  settlement  is  on  unsurveyed  land,  the  latter  period 
runs  from  the  filing  of  plat  iu  the  district  land  office.  (Act  May  14,  1880,  21 
Stat.  L.,  140.) 

HOMESTEAD     SETTLERS    ON     UNSURVEYED    LANDS. 

A  homestead  settler  on  unsurveyed  public  land  not  yet  open  to  entry  must 
make  entry  within  three  months  after  the  filing  of  the  township  plat  of  survey 
in  the  district  land  office.     (Act  May  14,  1880,  21  Stat.  L.,  140.) 

CULTIVATION    IN    GRAZING    DISTRICTS. 

In  grazing  districts  stock  raising  and  dairy  production  are  so  nearly  akin  to 
agricultural  pursuits  as  to  justify  the  issue  of  patent  upon  proof  of  permanent 
settlement  and  the  use  of  the  land  for  such  purposes. 

Proofs  can  only  be  made  by  the  homestead  claimant  in  person,  and  can  not  be 
made  by  an  agent,  attorney,  assignee,  or  other  person,  except  that  in  case  of  the 
death  of  the  entryman  proof  can  be  made  by  the  statutory  successor  to  the  home- 
stead right  in  the  manner  provided  by  law. 

Sections  2291  and  22!>2.  Revised  Statutes,  provide  for  obtaining  title  to  lands 
entered  by  a  homestead  settler  by  his  heirs.  The  act  of  June  8,  1880  (21  Stat. 
L.,  166),  provides  for  homestead  claimants  who  become  insane. 

HOMESTEAD     CLAIMS     NOT     LIABLE     FOR     DEBT     AND     NOT     SALABLE. 

No  lands  acquired  under  the  provisions  of  the  homestead  laws  are  liable  for 
the  satisfaction  of  any  debt  contracted  prior  to  the  issue  of  the  patent.  (Sec 
2296,  Lev.  Stat.) 

The  sale  of  a  homestead  claim  by  the  settler  to  another  party  before  becoming 
entitled  to  a  patent  vests  no  title  or  equities  in  the  purchaser  as  against  the 
United  States.  In  making  final  proof  the  settle!-  is  by  law  required  to  swear  that 
no  part  of  the  land  has  been  alienated  except  for  church,  cemetery,  or  school 
purposes  or  the  right  of  way  for  railroads,  canals,  or  ditches  for  irrigation  or 
drainage  across  it.  (Sec.  2288,  Rev.  Stat.,  as  amended  by  sec  .",  of  the  ad  of 
March  3,  1891,  26  Stat.  L.,  1095.) 

SOLDIERS    AND    SAILORS'    HOMESTEAD    RIGHTS. 

Any  officer,  soldier,  seaman,  or  marine  who  served  for  not  less  than  ninety 
days  in  the  Army  or  Navy  of  the  United  States  during  the  rebellion,  and  who 
was  honorably  discharged  and  has  remained  loyal  to  the  Government,  and  who 
makes  a  homestead  entry  of  320  acres  or  less  on  any  land  subject  to  such  entry, 
is  entitled  under  section  "-'.".nr,  of  the  Revised  Statutes  to  have  the  term  of  his 
service  in  the  Army  or  Navy,  not  exceeding  four  years,  deducted  from  the  period 
of  five  years'  residence  required  under  the  homestead  laws. 

If  the  party  was  discharged  from  service  on  account  of  wounds  or  disabilities 
incurred  in  the  line  of  duty  the  whole  term  of  enlistment,  not  exceeding  four 
years,  is  to  be  deducted  from  the  homestead  period  of  five  years;  but  no  patent 
can  issue  to  any  homestead  settler  who  has  not  resided  upon,  improved,  ami  cul- 
tivated his  bomestead  for  a  period  of  at  least  one  year  after  he  commenced  his 
improvements.     (Sec  2305,  Rev.  Stat.) 


LAND    LAWS    W\n  \  [NG     DO    \i   \ska. 

Similar  provisions  are  made  In  the  acts  of  June  16,  1898  <  30  Stat.  I...  IT::  i .  and 
March  I,  l'.iui  (31  Slat.  I...  847),  for  the  benefil  of  like  persons  who  served  in 
the  late  war  with  Spain  or  during  the  suppression  of  the  insurrection  in  the 
Philippines. 

\  party  applying  to  make  entry  under  the  provisions  of  section  '_'.".<il  must  file 
with  the  register  and  receiver  a  certified  copy  of  his  certificate  of  discharge, 
showing  when  he  enlisted  and  when  be  was  discharged;  or  the  affidavil  of  two 
respectable,  disinterested  witnesses  corroborative  of  the  allegations  contained  in 
the  prescribed  affidavil  (Form  I  005)  on  these  points,  or,  if  neither  can  be  pro- 
cured, his  own  affidavil  to  that  effect. 

The  widow  or,  in  case  of  her  death  or  remarriage,  the  guardian  of  minor  chil- 
dren may  complete  a  filing  made  bj  the  soldier  or  sailor  as  above,  and  patent 
will  issue  accordingly. 

SOLDIERS'    ADDITIONAL    HOMESTl    \l>    I  MKY. 

Any  officer,  soldier,  sailor,  or  marine  who  served  for  no1  less  than  ninety  days 
in  ihc  Army  or  Navy  of  the  United  Stairs  during  said  wars,  who  had.  prior  to 
June  22,  1874,  the  date  <>f  the  approval  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  made  a  borne 
stead  entrj  of  less  than  160  acres,  may  enter  an  additional  quantity  of  land. 
adjacent  to  bis  former  entry  or  elsewhere,  sufficient  t<>  make,  with  the  previous 
entry.  160  acres.  (Rev.  Stat.,  2306.  i  Tins  right  was  extended  by  section  2307. 
Revised  Statutes,  to  the  widow,  if  unmarried;  otherwise  to  the  minor  orphan 
children  bj  proper  guardian.  If  there  be  no  widow,  unmarried,  and  no  minor 
orphan  children,  the  right  is  held  to  be  an  asset  of  the  soldier-entryman's  estate. 
to  i"1  disposed  of  by  his  personal  representative  as  other  personal  property.  (20 
L.  I>..  510  and  658.  i  An  assignment  by  the  heirs  will  he  accepted  it'  accompanied 
by  a  certificate  of  the  proper  court  showing  that  no  administration  has  ever  hern 
had  "ii  the  soldier's  estate  and  that  they  are  all  the  heirs  entitled  to  the  right. 
The  right  was  formerly  regarded  as  a  personal  one  and  not  transferable,  but 
under  authority  of  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  states  in  the 
case  of  Webster  i\  Luther  i  163  U.  S.,  -"-".I  I,  it  is  now  held  to  be  assignable  with- 
out restriction,  and  residence  and  cultivation  are  nol  required  in  its  exercise, 
either  by  the  original  beneficiary  or  by  his  assignee,  whether  the  original  entry 
was  perfected  or  abandoned  (24  I..  D.,  502). 

It  was  for rly  the  practice,  on  proof  of  militarj   service  and  original  entry, 

under  section  2306,  Revised  Statutes,  to  issue  a  certificate  in  the  name  of  the 
soldier  entryman.  showing  his  additional  right  and  its  area,  but  the  practice 
was  discontinued  by  circular  of  February  13,  1883  (1  I..  D.,  654),  .and  it  is 
held  that  there  is  no  statutory  authority  for  the  same  and  that  the  soldier  can 
obtain  the  righl  for  himself  and  sell  it  to  another  without  certification  (23  L.  !>., 
l  52  i . 

By  the  ad  of  March  ::.  [893  (27  Stat.  I...  593),  provision  is  made  that  where 
soldiers'  additional  homestead  entries  have  been  made  or  initiated  upon  a  cer- 
tificate of  the  Commissioner  of  the  Genera]  Land  Office  of  the  righl  to  make 
such  entry,  anil  the  certificate  of  righl  is  found  to  be  erroneous  or  invalid  for 
any  cause,  the  party  in  interesl  thereunder  on  making  proof  of  his  purchase 
may.  if  there  is  no  adverse  claimant,  perfect  his  title  by  payment  of  the  Go\ 
eminent  price  for  the  land,  hut  no  person  may  acquire  more  than  160  acres 
through   the  location  of  any  such  eertili. 

By  the  act  of  Augusl  is.  1894  (28  Stat.  I...  397),  all  certificates  regularly 
issued  ari'  declared  to  be  valid,  notwithstanding  any  attempted  sale  or  transfer, 
and  holders  thereof  desiring  to  exercise  a   righl   of  entry  in  their  own   names 


34  GRASS    LANDS    OF    THE    SOUTH    ALASKA    COAST. 

must  file  such  certificates  in  the  General  Land  Office,  together  with  satisfactory 
proof  of  ownership  and  of  bona  fide  purchase  for  value.  If,  upon  examination, 
the  proof  so  filed  is  satisfactory,  an  additional  certificate  will  he  attached  to 
the  original  authorizing  the  location  thereof,  or  entry  of  land  therewith,  in 
the  name  of  the  assignee  or  his  assigns.  (Circular  of  October  10.  1894 ;  19  L.  D., 
302.) 

Existing  homestead  laws,  while  recognizing  settlement  upon  unsurveyed  pub- 
lic lands,  do  not  authorize  the  entry  or  the  patenting  thereof  until  the  public 
surveys  have  been  regularly  extended  over  them.  This  section  as  amended, 
however,  in  terms  authorizes  the  entry  of  unsurveyed  lands  in  Alaska,  and  makes 
provision  for  a  private  survey  for  the  purpose  of  patenting  the  claim,  if  the 
public  surveys  have  not  been  extended  thereto  at  the  time  it  is  desired  to  sub- 
mit proof,  as  is  hereinafter  referred  to. 

In  executing  surveys  for  homestead  applications  the  instructions  now  pre- 
vailing will  be  followed,  and  the  limit  of  160  rods  as  to  frontage  will  be  mens 
ured  along  the  meandered  line  of  said  frontage. 

The  form  of  the  tract  sought  to  be  entered,  if  upon  unsurveyed  land,  is  pre- 
scribed in  the  act  as  follows  : 

If  any  of  the  land  *      *      is  unsurveyed.  then  the  land      *      *      *      must  lie 

in  rectangular  form,  not  more  than  a  mile  in  length,  and  located  upon  the  north 
and  south  lines  run  according  to  the  true  meridian. 

That  is.  the  boundary  lines  of  each  entry  must  be  run  in  cardinal  directions, 
true  north-and-south  and  east-and-west  lines  by  reference  to  a  true  meridian  (not 
magnetic),  with  the  exception  of  the  meander  lines  on  meanderable  streams 
and  navigable  waters  forming  a  part  of  the  boundary  lines  of  the  entry.  Thus 
a  frontage  meander  line,  and  other  meander  lines  which  form  part  of  the  bound- 
ary of  a  claim,  will  lie  run  according  to  the  directions  in  the  Manual  of  Sur- 
veying  Instructions  issued  by  this  Office,  but  other  boundary  lines  will  be  run 
in  true  east-and-west  and  north-and-south  directions,  thus  forming  rectangles, 
except   at  intersections  with  meander  lines. 

In  other  respects  the  rides  previously  adopted  to  govern  surveys  of  claims 
under  the  act  of  May  14,  1898,  will  continue  to  lie  followed,  of  course  taking 
into  consideration  the  limitations  as  to  area  of  claims. 

Every  person  who  is  qualified  under  existing  laws  to  make  a  homestead  entry 
of  the  public  lands  of  the  United  States  who  settles  or  has  settled  upon  am  of 
the  unsurveyed  public  lands  of  the  United  States  in  the  district  of  Alaska  with 
the  intention  of  taking  the  same  under  the  homestead  law  shall,  within  ninety 
days  from  date  of  settlement  or  prior  to  the  intervention  of  an  adverse  claim, 
file  the  record  of  bis  location  for  record  in  the  recording  district  in  which  the 
land  is  situated,  as  provided  by  sections  13  to  Id  of  the  act  of  June  6,  1900  (31 
Stat.   L.  326  to  328). 

Said  record  shall  contain  the  name  of  the  settler,  the  date  of  settlement,  and 
SUCh  description  of  the  land  settled  on.  by  reference  to  some  natural  object  or 
permanent  monument  as  will  identify  the  same. 

If  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  required  under  sections  L'-J'.H  and  2292,  "Re- 
vised Statutes,  and  as  modified  by  section  •J::<>ri.  Revised  Statutes,  or  at  such 
date  as  the  settler  desires  to  commute  under  section  2301,  Revised  Statutes,  the 
public  surveys  have  not  been  extended  over  the  land  located,  the  locator  may 
secure  a  patent  for  the  land  located  by  procuring,  at  bis  own  expense,  a  survey 
of  the  land,  which  must  be  made  by  a  deputy  surveyor  who  has  been  duly  ap- 
pointed by  the  surveyor-general,  in  accordance  with  section  10  of  the  act  of 
May  1  1.  1898  (30  Stat  L.  409),  and  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  March  ::,  1903,  as 
herein  set  forth. 


LAND    LAWS    APPLYING     CO    ALASKA.  .'ST) 

When  the  survey,  either  public  or  private,  as  herein  provided  for  is  approved 
l<y  the  surveyor-general  under  authority  of  this  (nine,  the  same  rules  should  be 
followed  us  heretofore  established  governing  the  location  of  soldiers'  additional 
homestead  rights,  in  addition  to  which  the  settler  must  furnisb  the  required 
proof  of  resilience  and  cultivation. 

The  office  <>f  the  surveyor  general  of  Alaska  is  located  al  Sitka. 

Section    m  of  said  .ict   of  May    14,    1898,  also  provides  thai    all   affidavits, 

testii y,  proofs,  and  other  papers  provided  for  by  this  acl  and  by  said  act  of 

March  '■'>.  1891,  or  by  any  departmental  or  Executive  regulation  thereunder,  by 
depositions  or  otherwise,  under  commission  from  the  register  and  receiver  of 
the  land  office,  which  may  have  been  or  may  hereafter  be  taken  and  sworn 
to  anywhere  in  the  United  states,  before  any  court,  judge,  or  other  officer 
authorized   by    law    to   administer   an   oath,   shall    he   admitted    in    evidence   as    if 

taken  before  the  register  and  receiver  of  the  proper  local  land  office.  And 
thereafter  such  proof,  together  with  a  certified  copy  of  the  field  notes  and  plal 
of  the  survey  of  the  claim,  shall  be  Bled  in  the  office  of  the  surveyor-general 
of  the  district  of  Alaska,  and  if  such  survey  and  plat  shall  be  approved  bj 
him.  certified  copies  thereof,  together  with  the  claimant's  application,  shall  he 

tiled  ill  the  United  States  land  office  in  the  land  district  in  which  the  claim  is 
situated,  whereupon,  at  the  expense  of  claimant,  the  register  of  such  laud 
otliee  shall  cause  notice  of  such  application  to  he  published  for  at  least  sixty 
days  in  a  newspaper  of  general  circulation  publshed  nearest  the  claim  within 
the  district  <d'  Alaska,  anil  the  applicant  shall  at  the  time  of  filing  such  field 
notes,  plat,  and  application  to  purchase  in  the  land  office  aforesaid,  cans,,  a 
copy  of  SUCb  plat,  together  with  the  application  to  purchase,  to  he  posted  upOIl 
the  claim,  and  such  plal  and  application  shall  he  kept  posted  in  a  conspicuous 
place  on  such  claim  continuously  for  at  least  sixty  days,  and  during  such  period 
of  posting  and  publication,  or  within  thirty  days  thereafter,  any  person,  cor 
poration,  or  association  having  or  asserting  any  adverse  interest  in,  or  claim  to. 
the  trad  of  land  or  any  part  thereof  sought  to  lie  purchased,  may  tile  in  the 
land  office  where  such  application  is  pending,  under  oath,  an  adverse  claim 
setting  forth  the  nature  and  extent  thereof,  and  such  adverse  claimant  shall, 
within  sixty  days  after  the  filing  of  such  adverse  claim,  begin  action  to  quiet 
title  in  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction  within  the  district  of  Alaska,  and 
thereafter  no  patent  shall  issue  for  such  claim  until  the  final  adjudication  of 
the  rights  of  the  parties,  and  such  [latent   shall   then  he  issued   in  conformity 

wit  h    t  he    final    decree   of    the   court. 

When  a  settler  desires  to  commute,  the  survey  and  homestead  application 
must  cover  his  entire  claim,  hut  only  160  acres,  or  less,  thereof  may  he  com 
muted,  iii  which  event  the  entry  will  stand  intact  as  to  the  portion  not 
commuted,  subjecl  in  future  compliance  with  the  requirements  of  law  within 
the  statutory  period  of  seven  years. 

Entrymen  who  commute  will  he  required  to  pay,  in  addition  to  the  price  of 
$1.25  per  acre,  the  same  fees  and  commissions  as  in  final   homesteads. 

Whenever  a   settler  or  other  claimant   desires  p.  make  entry  or  submil    final 

proof,     he    should     address    the    register    and     receiver    of    the    United     States    land 

office  at  Juneau,  Alaska. 


PLAT  ES. 


:;: 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES. 

Plate  I.  Map  of  Alaska,  showing  the  approximate  location  of  the  grass-land 

areas  in  Mack. 

Plate  II.  Fin.  1- — View  of  the  level  lands  at  the  head  of  Womans  Bay,  Kadiak 
Island.  Similar  areas  occur  at  the  heads  of  most  of  the  inlets.  Fig.  2. — 
Mowing  beach  rye  on  the  Frye-Bruhn  ranch. 

Plate  III.  Bluetop  (Galamdgrostis  langsdorfli)  on  Kadiak  Island,  6  feet  high, 
July.  19d4.  The  hillsides  in  the  background  were  burned  over  during  the 
preceding  spring,  and  are  covered  with  an  equally  luxuriant  stand  of  the 
same  grass. 

Plate  IV.  Fig.  1. — A  view  of  Kadiak.  November  7,  1903.  A  light  fall  of  new- 
snow  covers  the  low  mountains  in  the  background.  Fig.  2. — Another  view 
of  Kadiak,  March  26,  1904.  The  small  snowfall  of  this  region  is  made  very 
clear  by  these  two  pictures. 

38 

O 


Plate  II. 


Fig.  1.    A  View  of-  the  Flat  Lands  Lying  at  the  Head  of  Woman's  Bay,  Kadiak 

Island,  Alaska. 


Fig.  2. -Mowing  Beach  Rye  on  Kadiak  Island,  Alaska. 


Bui.  b: 


Plate  III. 


Bluetop  iCalamagrostis  langsdorfip  Six  Feet  High,  on  Kadiak  Island.  Alaska, 

July,  1904. 

I  liu  -  i.i"  on  1 1  it-  hillside  iii  t  In-  buckground  mum  jiisl  ns  liixuriiinl. 


Plate  IV. 


Fig.  1 .— A  View  of  Kadiak,  Alaska,  November  7,  1903. 


Fig.  2. -A  Different  View  of  Kadiak,  March  26,  1904. 
The  small  snowlall  o(  tin-  region  is  tuude  verj  cleur  uj  Hum-  two  pictures 


[Continued  from  pace  -  of  cover.] 

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:{.">.  Recenl   Foreign  Explorations.     L903.     Price,   15  rents. 

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